Max Verstappen posts incredible message about Red Bull garage after Lando Norris win

Max Verstappen has admitted that he was so frustrated before the Brazilian Grand Prix that he wanted to "destroy the Red Bull garage". However, he managed to channel his anger into a stunning wet-weather performance that not only won him the race but also dealt a significant blow to Lando Norris' championship hopes.

Norris had looked set to close the gap on Verstappen's 44-point lead after securing pole position in Interlagos, while Verstappen was eliminated in the second phase of qualifying due to a red flag following Lance Stroll’s crash. This left Verstappen starting in 12th place, and an engine change penalty dropped him further to 17th on the grid.

Despite this setback, Verstappen fought back impressively, setting five consecutive fastest laps and 17 in total, eventually overtaking Alpine’s Esteban Ocon on lap 43 of 69 to take the lead. He finished the race 19.4 seconds ahead, marking his 62nd career victory and arguably one of his finest.

For Norris, the race was less successful as he ran off the road twice and finished only sixth. With Verstappen now 62 points clear and only 86 points remaining, he could secure his fourth consecutive world title in Las Vegas on November 23.

Reflecting on his emotional journey, Verstappen said: "My emotions were all over the place, from wanting to destroy the garage (after qualifying) to winning the race. It has been a roller coaster. It is unbelievable to win here from so far back on the grid. I was expecting to lose points in the championship. Now, I just want clean races. But I am not thinking about clinching the title in Vegas."

Following a rapid advance through the pack, he found himself in 11th position by the end of the first lap after overtaking three drivers in a thrilling move at the opening corner. He continued his ascent, narrowly passing Lewis Hamilton on the following lap to seize 10th.

His momentum didn't stop there; by lap five, he had claimed eighth place, smoothly overtaking both Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso. Soon after, Verstappen progressed without much fuss when Norris’ teammate yielded seventh spot with little resistance.

Another competitor fell prey to Verstappen's pace, leaving him lapping significantly faster than other drivers once in open air. His formidable progress faced a brief hindrance from a opposing driver, but when the latter pitted for new tyres, Verstappen ascended to fifth.

With conditions worsening and one opponent spinning out leading to a Virtual Safety Car period, others took the chance for tyre changes. This sequence of events saw Verstappen elevate to second as the race leader later went off track, allowing him to gain more positions.

The race was then brought to a temporary halt, presenting an opportunity for a tyre swap without penalty due to the red flag. A subsequent delay precedes a rolling restart where another lead change occurs before yet another competitor drops positions after veering off course. Then, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz crashed into the barriers at turn eight on lap 40, prompting a second safety car. The race got back under way on lap 43 with Verstappen overtaking Ocon at the first corner to seize the lead.

Meanwhile, Norris found himself off the track once more, dropping behind Leclerc and Piastri to seventh place, raising the question: was this when the world championship slipped away? Piastri was instructed to let Norris pass, but the 24 year old struggled to make an impact on Leclerc ahead, finishing a stark half-minute behind Verstappen, who celebrated breaking his 10-race winless streak.

"The rain came, we stayed out, which was very sketchy, and I had to just keep the car on track," Verstappen said. "It was undriveable in the conditions. I felt like I was driving a boat, or a jet-ski. There was a lot at stake because I had to be aware of the championship so for me this is the best one (victory). And it is a massive boost for the team because it has been a tough period."

Norris later faced a £4,200 fine for initiating a second formation lap prematurely. Russell, who started at the front row next to the McLaren, received the same penalty.

Lewis Hamilton experienced a disappointing day, being overtaken by three newcomers – Lawson, Colapinto, and Ollie Bearman – adding to the woes of the seven-time world champion. Hamilton expressed his discontent after a challenging race where he qualified 16th and finished 10th, a full 50 seconds behind winner Verstappen and 27 seconds behind his Mercedes teammate Russell who secured fourth place.

"At least one (Mercedes) car was behaving," Hamilton remarked. "It’s like a plank of wood. There’s no suspension. It’s just bouncing on the tyres, everywhere. Can’t get on the power anywhere... I could happily go take a holiday."