Following a straightforward win in the sprint race, Verstappen continued his dominance in the Brazilian GP.
The race went well, with the starts playing a crucial role. Both starts were excellent, and from there, it was all about tire management,” reviews Verstappen. “We had a solid strategy and made timely pit stops. We performed well on all tires, but particularly in the middle stint, we were able to build a significant lead, which showcased our strength.”
While Lando Norris was able to keep up on the soft and medium tires initially, towards the end of each stint, I managed to pull away from him. The race looked promising, but given the high levels of tire degradation, constant adjustments were necessary. Maintaining focus throughout proved to be successful today.”
During the early stages, Lando Norris made a brief attempt to overtake Verstappen: “He had newer soft tires, which offered him more grip for the first two or three laps. I was managing my race during that time. He made a strong move in one lap, and I had to defend momentarily. However, I believe he quickly realized he needed to start preserving his tires if he wanted to make it through the stint.”
Overall, it wasn’t a particularly challenging race, but drivers need to constantly be below their limit to ensure tire conservation. It takes away some of the excitement, but it’s part of the sport sometimes.”