The race weekend at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace Interlagos brought a unique story as Max Verstappen decided to pass the long delay during qualifying by watching Premier League football matches. The star driver for Red Bull Racing already knew he would be starting from the back of the grid due to a power unit-related grid penalty, leaving him with a mountain to climb for the Brazilian Grand Prix main race.
The rain-soaked qualifying session was forced into a lengthy red-flag delay lasting nearly an hour and a half. During the unexpected downtime in the garage, the four-time world champion opted to catch up on football action on television. Speaking to broadcasters in the media pen, Verstappen laughed when asked how he spent the extensive waiting period before jumping back into his RB20.
"A lot of different games, but Nottingham Forest against Manchester City was the last one before I got into the car. It was 3-1, I actually saw a great goal just before I got back in!" Verstappen explained. When asked if he enjoyed himself in the treacherous wet conditions, the Dutchman admitted his mindset was already fully focused on damage limitation for Sunday's race rather than chasing glory in a compromised qualifying session.
Despite only running through the opening segment, Verstappen once again showcased his supreme wet-weather prowess. His initial flying lap was a staggering 1.4 seconds faster than the benchmark at the time, eventually finishing Q1 in third place behind Lando Norris and George Russell before stepping out of the cockpit. However, he expressed frustration over the tedious scheduling and the lost hours spent waiting around the paddock.
"Not really, because I'm not fighting for anything. My mind is already set on tomorrow, so it was just about doing a lap, not risking anything. I’ve lost 12 hours of my life today that I’ll never get back," Verstappen added. The stage is now set for another dramatic charge through the field as the Red Bull ace attempts a memorable recovery drive from the back row.
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