Max Verstappen fired back at criticism from British media pundits after securing a masterful victory at the São Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday, putting himself on the verge of his fourth consecutive world championship title. The Dutchman, starting from 17th on the grid, managed to take the win at Interlagos, while his title rival Lando Norris slipped from pole to finish sixth. Norris, who was 44 points behind Verstappen, now trails by 62 points, with 86 points still up for grabs. If Verstappen leads by 60 points after the next round in Las Vegas, he will be crowned champion. This victory marked Verstappen's first since June, and it came after a series of on-track clashes with Norris that had drawn sharp criticism from former F1 drivers like Damon Hill, Martin Brundle, and Johnny Herbert.
Hill, the 1996 drivers’ champion, had likened Verstappen to the Wacky Races villain Dick Dastardly, while Brundle suggested that Verstappen's legacy was being 'tainted' due to a 20-second penalty in Mexico for forcing Norris off the road twice. Herbert, now an FIA steward, described Verstappen's driving as 'harsh' and 'over the top'. Following his win in Interlagos, Verstappen quipped: 'I have a quick question. I mean, I appreciate all of you being here, but I don’t see any British press. Do they have to run to the airport, or they don’t know where the press conference is?'
Verstappen also emphasized the 'incredibly important' nature of his victory in the title fight, as he had anticipated his lead being reduced after Norris secured pole from a delayed qualifying session. 'My emotions today were a rollercoaster,' he added. 'We stayed out of trouble, we made the right calls and we were flying.' When asked about his expectations for the future, Verstappen said: 'I just want clean races, that’s all. I am not thinking about clinching the championship in Vegas or whatever.'
McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, has reiterated that the team's focus remains on securing the Formula One constructors’ championship. Despite Norris's challenge for the drivers’ title all but fading, Stella expressed immense pride in the team's achievements this season. Norris was overtaken by Mercedes’ George Russell at the start in Brazil, which cost him time, and later locked up at turn one, dropping him three places. The team's decision to pit Norris just before a red flag allowed Verstappen to change tyres for free. Stella defended his driver, attributing the lock-up at turn one to a car issue, and stated that the team is still aiming for the constructors’ title, which they lead from Ferrari by 36 points, with Red Bull 13 points further back in third.
'The constructors’ was always our priority,' Stella said. 'So this doesn’t change anything. When it comes to the drivers, I don’t think for Lando there was any particular pressure. We were enjoying this quest.' He added, 'Sometimes from outside it may come across like there was an error there. When you lock the tyres with a car I am not looking at the driver, I am looking at why the car keeps locking the tyres.'
McLaren has faced criticism for not capitalizing more on the advantage their car has enjoyed, particularly being the fastest in the field since the Miami Grand Prix. However, Stella maintained that he is satisfied with the team's performance throughout the season and believes it sets a strong foundation for the future. 'Since we delivered lap time to the car in Miami, McLaren have outscored by far every other competitor,' he said. 'We had the best car at a few events [but] not all, so the team and drivers operated at very high standards. We take these high standards as a positive, as the foundation to keep building. We are extremely happy with what we have been able to achieve and the standards at which we have been operating throughout the season.'
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