SÃO PAULO — Max Verstappen is set to start Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix from the pit-lane with a fresh engine and a completely new set-up to his Red Bull at Interlagos.
Verstappen qualified 16th on Saturday, the first time he had failed to progress through Q1 on merit in his career.
He goes into the race 39 points off championship leader and race polesitter Lando Norris. On Saturday the reigning four-time world champion later declared his outside title bid done, saying: “Forget about that.”
His Red Bull was seen in pieces in the garage on Saturday evening as the team fitted a new engine and fitted a different floor to his car. They have reverted to the floor used in Austin, where Verstappen won the grand prix.
Max Verstappen must start F1 São Paulo GP from the pit-lane. Getty
Because the team effectively made a wholesale set-up change to the car outside F1’s parc fermé regulations, the car is required to start from the pit-lane.
The best-ever finish in an F1 grand prix from a pit-lane is P3. It was achieved by Jarno Trulli in Australia in 2009, by Sebastian Vettel in Abu Dhabi in 2012, then again by Lewis Hamilton in Hungary in 2014.
Verstappen will not take part in the formation lap nor line up on the grid, and his pit-lane start adds an immediate time disadvantage as he cannot leave the pits until the last car in the field has passed by a certain point.
A green light will come on at pit exit when he is allowed to leave. However, that time loss is mitigated by the fact he will avoid any messy incidents on Turn 1 or the opening lap at a circuit known for dramatic racing moments, and of course for the fact he has effectively hit reset on a car which he struggled with all weekend, as well as having the power boost of a fresh engine.
An early Safety Car period would immediately bring him back into play. Verstappen and Red Bull are hoping he can pull off a repeat of last year’s legendary drive at this circuit.
On that occasion, under pressure from Lando Norris in the title fight, he drove from 17th to first in a race marked by heavy rain, multiple crashes and safety car periods.
It moved him to the cusp of that championship, which he sealed at the next race at Las Vegas.
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The situation has reversed this year — Norris leads the championship and is nine points ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who starts fourth.
Norris has already extended his lead once this weekend by winning the sprint race on Saturday — Piastri crashed out and Verstappen finished fourth.
After Sunday’s grand prix in Brazil F1 has a week off, before three races in three weeks to finish the season in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
