SÃO PAULO, Brazil – Max Verstappen did everything imaginable to withstand Lewis Hamilton’s charge Sunday at Interlagos, but it wasn’t enough for São Paulo Grand Prix top honors.
Among Verstappen’s bag of tricks was an aggressive block on lap 48 that stunted one of Hamilton’s runs at the top spot.
As Hamilton pulled to Verstappen’s right side, the Red Bull Racing driver took a wide entry into the left-handed first turn, selling out the move into the runoff area as he and the seven-time champion briefly went off course.
Eleven circuits later Hamilton overtook the championship leader and ran away for a 10.5-second win that cuts Verstappen’s lead from 21 points to 14 with three races left.
“I think it was a good battle, but at the end we just missed a little bit of pace,” Verstappen said. “We gave it all today and it was a lot of fun.”
“I mean we both of course tried to be ahead into the corner so I braked a bit late to get that position,” Verstappen said of his block attempt on lap 48. “I was on the edge of grip. That’s why I think I was already on the apex and it’s a safer way of running a bit wide there.
“In a way I was happy [the] stewards decided we could keep on racing,” Verstappen said in light of the stewards’ right to not investigate the move. “I could see the racing in general was really good today.”
Verstappen was on the cusp of taking another step toward his first title, leading the event through 58 of 71 laps. If it held — Verstappen first and Hamilton runner-up — the 24-year-old’s lead would have grown to 28 points.
Now Hamilton is within reach as the title race rounds out at Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, three circuits up Mercedes’ wheelhouse.
“We still have a good points lead, today was a bit of damage limitation,” Verstappen said. “The coming races we’ll bounce back.”
Verstappen gained the opening lap advantage ahead of polesitter Valtteri Bottas, avoiding any shot at the Mercedes driver attempting to work in Hamilton’s favor.
Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez, meanwhile, worked his way to second and tried holding up Hamilton, who quickly surged into third from the 10th-starting spot.
Perez’s stand only worked momentarily as Hamilton slipped by on lap 19.
Soon, Verstappen had a rearview mirror full of Hamilton and knew the cards he was dealt.
“At one point Lewis was behind me, I could see there was a lot of pace,” Verstappen said. “It was already quite tough to match that. We did all the right calls in trying to cover. Not much to say about that. We were a bit too slow.
“This weekend they were quick on the straights,” he added. “It’s not ideal when they sail past you and that’s all you can do. Of course I like to win. Second today, with the defence I did, is also satisfying.
“You can see one weekend it’s good for you, the other it’s good for them,” he said. “Hopefully [it’s] like that for the rest of the season.”