Verstappen recovers from 21st to finish second in São Paulo

Max Verstappen finished second in the São Paulo Grand Prix on November 8 after starting 21st because of power-unit penalties, recovering through the field to finish 14 seconds behind winner Lando Norris. Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar was third, giving the team two drivers on the podium.

The 71-lap race unfolded on a wet track that gradually dried before rain returned late. Verstappen said his first stint on intermediate tyres was especially strong and that he overtook several cars in the opening laps. He moved into second during the middle phase, then made a late stop for intermediate tyres as the rain returned.

Verstappen said the car’s balance changed markedly after the opening stint, limiting his ability to close on Norris. He said he did not know whether the car had sustained damage and that the team needed to understand what had gone wrong. No cause for the handling change was established in the race account.

The back-of-the-grid start followed changes to power-unit components that exceeded the permitted allowances. Verstappen had set the fastest time in final practice the day before, recording 1:11.622, just 0.025 seconds ahead of Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. His...