Verstappen and Hadjar Put Red Bull on a Double Podium

An engine penalty left Max Verstappen 21st on the Interlagos grid, but he would make it to 2nd place in an unambiguous display of driving that earned him the Driver of the Day. Isack Hadjar’s 3rd place meant Red Bull could have the rest of the podium to themselves.

Hadjar was ahead of his team mate when he made his move. The intermediate was the tyre for him and on lap 21 he put the pair of Mercedes behind him in the more unforgiving part of the track. By lap 24 Verstappen had seen off Antonelli and over the following 50 laps or so chipped at Norris without ever getting close enough.

Those 18 points take Verstappen to 279 and 2nd in the championship. The record books will note that in three separate seasons he has been on the podium at Interlagos, be it from the pit lane or starting 17th or 21st.

Yet it is Hadjar’s day. The man who was with Racing Bulls as a rookie last year is due to join Red Bull with Verstappen in 2026 and there will be questions about what that means for the second seat. A podium in conditions to baffle some world champions is the reply.

Red Bull leave Brazil with 33 points for the weekend, putting them on a par with McLaren and 17 off 3rd in the constructors’ with three races left.