Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen’s “mental resilience” after the World Champion bounced back from a difficult qualifying session to win the Sao Paulo GP.
Verstappen was caught out by a red flag in Q2 and left stranded in 12th, which became 17th after his PU change penalty was added.
In TV interviews after the session he expressed his frustration at the timing of the red flag, which allowed drivers ahead of the incident to set lap times.
However he put that behind him and put in a storming drive through the field to pass leader Esteban Ocon and win the race, and give himself a chance of clinching the title in Las Vegas.
“Today was an emotional roller coaster,” said Horner. “We knew we had a good car. Yesterday, the car was quick, and to finish third then lose it with a VSC, but to be able to follow that closely around here in the sprint race, we knew we that we’d got good pace.
“Quickest in I think Q1, and Q2 obviously, the way things played out, we were just very unlucky.
“And so then having elected to take the five-place penalty as well with the engine, you’re on the penultimate row of the grid, P17.
“So very quickly you have to brush yourself down and focus on the race ahead. Max’s mental strength and attitude to deal with that is outstanding.”
Horner suggested that he didn’t have to give Verstappen a pep talk after his frustrating qualifying session.
“You know when to put an arm around him, but he’s not that kind of driver,” he said when asked by formu1a.uno if the Dutchman had needed any support. “He works it out for himself. His mental resilience is huge, and that’s part of the strength that he has.
“But you can see how much it meant to him. I don’t think I’ve seen him that animated on a podium for, I can’t remember the last time, so it meant a huge amount to him. And I really believe that we’ve witnessed one of the great drives in F1 today.”
Horner compared Verstappen’s early progress with that of Ayrton Senna at the 1993 European GP.
“I thought his start today was electric,” he said. “And that first lap was up there with Donington ’93, around the outside of Turn 3. I think he passed six cars on the on the first lap.
“He was the only car that was really making progress, being able to pick cars off, and so late on the brakes into Turn 1, whether it was with Lewis, with Oscar Piastri. And then obviously at the restart with Esteban.
“And then he just controlled the race and pulled away with ease, at some times a second a lap. So on a pretty dreary day, he shone pretty brightly today.”
He added: “I think the best response is to do your talking on the track, and that’s what he’s done today. And an attacking drive, to go from 17th to first, I think, is one of the best drives of his career. And on a day where conditions are difficult, obviously you see the differences in the drivers.
“There have been a lot of comments that have been made, and opinions that have been voiced against Max and the way he drives. And I think the best way to answer those critics is to drive, produce the drive that he did today.
“And we’ve watched a lead that has been diminishing since before the summer break, and having not won since June, it was great to hear the Rolling Stones playing again in the garage in memory of Dietrich Mateschitz that we play every time we win a Grand Prix.”
