Max Verstappen admitted he did not anticipate to complete on the rostrum on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, praising his and Pink Bull’s “unbelievable” comeback from the pitlane.
Pink Bull opted on Saturday to put in a brand new energy unit and alter the suspension settings on Verstappen’s automobile in a single day, necessitating a pit lane begin, after each automobiles have been eradicated in Q1 for the primary time in 19 years. The defending champion made headway from the beginning on laborious tires, then fell again once more with a puncture, however put in an exhilarating battle to complete third and keep on the rostrum.
“The race was fairly genuine and there was plenty of motion,” Verstappen mentioned. “We needed to go some automobiles coming from the pit lane and I believe our tempo was fairly sturdy all through the entire stint. Typically it is slightly troublesome to get a full image due to site visitors and different issues, however I by no means anticipated to be on the rostrum coming from the pit lane, although we had a puncture early within the race. So we needed to field once more.”
“It is an unbelievable consequence for us. I am very completely happy and really happy with the entire crew. Yesterday was very powerful for us, however we by no means hand over. We all the time attempt to enhance and attempt to discover extra lap occasions. Fortunately, we have been capable of finding it right now as properly.”
Pink Bull caught to an aggressive technique, with Verstappen being the final to pit from the entrance, placing on mushy tires and attempting to nook the highest three within the closing phases. He handed George Russell however was held again by Kimi Antonelli on the ultimate lap and completed 10 seconds behind winner Lando Norris.
“(The race) was miles higher than qualifying, that is for positive,” he mentioned. “It was a really sturdy race. I believe our tempo was loads higher. It was slightly chilly right now so possibly that helped. I felt the automobile responded slightly higher.”
“Regardless of the laborious (tire) puncture, I believe I made the fitting technique in the long run to go all the way in which again and get out of the sector once more on the medium. I believe I used to be OK on the mushy as properly. By the point you began to get shut and handed George, the tire was already slightly worn. And simply as I used to be getting near you, the tire began to overheat and I misplaced plenty of grip. Smooth is a bit more troublesome than medium in that respect.”
“Total, it was a really sturdy race. We got here out of the pit lane on the rostrum and have been 10 or 11 seconds off the lead. I believe it is an excellent consequence for us, nevertheless it’s by no means what I anticipated once I wakened this morning.”
Verstappen mentioned he knew immediately earlier than the race that he had a greater automobile, however he did not set a aim for the way excessive he might end.
“I jumped within the automobile, I simply wished the automobile to be extra aggressive,” he mentioned. “I can say that within the laps I received to the grid I already felt higher than I did the entire weekend. After the beginning, once I picked up a puncture and located myself in final place once more, I assumed, ‘Oh my God, nothing goes to go proper this weekend.’
“After that you simply simply relax. You attempt to do the most effective you possibly can. You attempt to overtake the automobile in entrance, you attempt to implement the optimum technique. All of it labored out. Along with the crew, we did the fitting factor. In some unspecified time in the future, we have been aiming for the rostrum. It is good, however on the identical time within the race, I am not predicting something. I am simply attempting to remain centered within the second and be constant each lap as a lot as I can.
“Clearly, on high of that, the message is that we have made some modifications and the automobile feels even higher. On the identical time, it was fairly chilly right now, so which may have performed a task as properly.”
