Verstappen Voices Frustration After Qualifying Sixth for São Paulo Sprint
São Paulo, Brazil – Max Verstappen, the three-time and reigning Formula 1 World Champion, expressed dissatisfaction following sprint qualifying at the Brazilian Grand Prix, finishing sixth with a lap time of 1:09.580. The result marks a challenging start to his weekend at Interlagos, a circuit where he previously secured sprint victory in 2021 and 2022.
Verstappen’s performance comes as a surprise given his dominant form throughout the 2024 season, where he has consistently topped qualifying and race results. The Red Bull driver acknowledged a basic issue with the car’s setup, stating, ”It’s pretty clear that we’re missing something and I don’t expect us to suddenly be miles better when the track is wet.” The upcoming sprint race and qualifying session for the Grand Prix present opportunities to address the deficit, but the early setback raises questions about Red Bull’s competitiveness at this particular track.
Lando Norris of McLaren set the pace in sprint qualifying with a time of 1:09.243, followed closely by Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes, 1:09.340) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren, 1:09.428). The full top ten included George Russell (Mercedes), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber), and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari).
Recent sprint race pole-sitters include Lando Norris (Interlagos 2023 & Shanghai 2024, Qatar 2024), Max Verstappen (Silverstone 2021, Monza 2021, Imola 2022, Red Bull Ring 2022, spielberg 2023, Francorchamps 2023, Austin 2023, Miami 2024, Spielberg 2024, Austin 2024), Valtteri Bottas (Monza 2021), Kevin Magnussen (Interlagos 2022), Charles Leclerc (Baku 2023), and Oscar Piastri (Qatar 2023). The sprint race is scheduled for Saturday, with the main Grand Prix qualifying to follow.
