What Max Verstappen did after Brazilian GP win which proves Lando Norris blow is crucial

It should have been the day inflicted a significant blow on title defence.

He lined up on pole in the torrential Brazilian rain, having safely navigated a fraught qualifying session early in the morning while the racer was consigned to 17th on the grid. But more downpours brought more chaos and, at the end of it all, the Brit found himself a long way behind Verstappen, his title challenge in tatters.

Norris finished sixth while Verstappen won at a canter, helped by lucky timing of a crash which brought out the red flags two laps after his championship challenger had pitted. But he was flawless in the wretched Sao Paulo weather to secure his first victory since the in June and put himself on the brink of four consecutive titles.

No wonder he let out a huge Dutch roar - a somewhat rare show of such emotion for Verstappen - as he took to the podium with the two drivers whose strategy gambles also paid off. "I surprised myself, I never thought I would win today," he later conceded. "I was confident that we could do a good job but this has been much better than I think anyone could have expected today."

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

Norris is now 62 points behind and, though still mathematically in the title hunt, needs a miracle if he is to close that gap across the final three rounds of the year. Like everyone else, he was awake long before dawn to get to the track to qualify after thunderstorms thwarted any attempt to get out on track on Saturday afternoon.

And after securing pole he could barely concede his grin, especially as another red flag had left Verstappen stranded 17th on the grid. But things began to unravel straight away as got the jump on Norris to take the lead early on.

Verstappen was not hanging around and, by the first corner of the second lap, had gained seven places. Eleven laps in, he was sixth and had already scuppered Norris' hopes of a huge points gain. But the pivotal few laps began when the safety car came out and, while Norris and Russell dived into the pits, Verstappen and the two Alpines chasing them stayed out.

Young Franco Colapinto then crashed on cold tyres which brought out the red flags and those who chose not to stop were rewarded with fresh rubber and ideal track position. Verstappen swept past as soon as the lights went green again and, from there, it was a walk in the park. At the same time, Norris lost two places by locking his front wheels and missing turn one.

Team-mate moved aside for the second time that weekend but the damage was done and Norris had to settle for sixth. Russell, in fourth, was the highest finisher of those who pitted behind the safety car and felt he should have won at Interlagos for the second time in three years. He said: "We are in this together as a team and we would have taken P4 before the weekend."

Russell described his as a "boat" at times in the incessant rain, which was a nicer description than what 10th-placed team-mate could muster. He said: "It is like a plank of wood - the worst ride we have ever had... I could happily take a holiday."