How long will F1 persist with its worst rule? One which consistently neutralises and ruins races?

Max Verstappen was undoubtedly putting in one of his greatest ever drives on Sunday’s Sao Paulo GP, but his sternest test was still to come – until the current regulations gave him a helping hand.

F1’s allowing of a tyre change under red flag conditions – on safety grounds – meant the Dutchman (not yet having stopped) was able to put on some lovely new intermediates, and now not worry about getting past a train which included Lando Norris, George Russell and the-not-particularly-helpful Yuki Tsunoda (who all had stopped, and who the Red Bull driver would have had to overtaken once he’d pitted, if the red flag hadn’t materialised).

But, just like that, Verstappen only had to overtake this year’s second-slowest car – Esteban Ocon’s Alpine – and the race win was his.

Not quite the stuff of legends. Can you imagine all those misty eyes, as the storyteller round the campfire reaches the climatic part of his tale where our hero gets a free pitstop and fits a fresh set of Pirelli inters? No.

So put away the Donington ’93 hyper-superlative comparisons everyone, it’s not time to dust off the Sonic The Hedgehog trophy just yet.

Here’s what was really going up and down in Brazil.

Going Down

Nanny state

Get rid of the tyre change rule, and stop letting red flags overly-influence races. Then we’ll have some real performances for the ages.

If teams were really that concerned about safety, a new regulation should be enforced: swap your tyres, but restart from the back.

Bad day at the Norris office

Norris was looking good in the first part of the race, having overtaken Russell for the net lead of the race with the Ocon-Verstappen-Gasly trio up ahead but yet to stop.

Then came the red flag, the new tyres and a pair of offs for Norris on the restart. Farewell 2024 F1 title fight, we hardly knew ye.

Ambitions beached

As a driver, just simply what is the point of Lance Stroll? After crashing on the formation lap, then lamely driving into the gravel – looking like he was almost willingly trying to beach his Aston – even his mechanics must be asking the question.

Lance stroll🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/RetM9arunO

— Jay (@_JRE5_) November 3, 2024

Grave Grove crash bill

Three huge crashes for Williams, while Alpine’s bumper points haul means the former looks condemned to the almost-wooden spoon of ninth in the constructors’ title fight.

Number-crunching team boss James Vowles must be wincing when he reads through those figures.

Warning Sainz

Sainz went from hero to zero in Brazil. After winning in Mexico, he lamely spun off at Interlagos. Williams will not have enjoyed that either.

Make it stop

Valtteri has told us how much fun he’s having in our new issue. But we draw the line at a rubbish coffee bag crash helmet. What was wrong with a bit of blue and silver?

Going Up

No stopping Verstappen

Making everyone else look stupid, basically. Whether it’s sheer speed, knowing all the rules back-to-front, racing in the wet or strategic decisions, it’s currently looking like the rest of the grid has won a competition to race with Max Verstappen.

Still a touchy personality though, making a pointed comment in the press conference about British journalists – who he perceives as overly critical – not being present when he wins. The Red Bull man can sure dish it out but…

Alpine climb

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly smashed it out of Brazil on Sunday by snaring 35 points for their team with second and third, transforming them from also-rans in the points battle to suddenly being in sixth – a rude awakening for RB and Haas who thought the fight for that place was theirs exclusively.

What a difference a day makes.

RB heroes

Despite Alpine striking a killer blow to Haas and RB, it was still a decent weekend for the latter by the usual standards. Third and fifth in qualifying for Tsunoda and Lawson respectively turned into seventh and ninth in the race.

Haas scoring no points was good for the Italian team. The fight for sixth is still on, we know you’re excited!

Touching tribute

Hamilton in a Senna McLaren. Just looks right.