In a wet and wild qualifying session at Interlagos, Lance Stroll’s crash in Q2 caused an unexpected turn of events that knocked Max Verstappen out of the top 10, leaving the reigning champion with a steep climb for race day. The heavy rain had forced drivers onto wet tyres, a move that set up a chaotic session as drivers grappled with low visibility and treacherous track conditions.
The incident began when Stroll lost control of his car through the iconic Senna Esses, crashing into the barrier and bringing out a yellow flag. Moments later, the situation escalated as race officials decided to raise the red flag, bringing the session to a temporary halt to clear Stroll’s car from the track. Unfortunately for Verstappen, the delay in deploying the red flag worked against him, as he was unable to secure a lap time within the top 10 before the stoppage.
Here is the video:
The Dutch driver was frustrated by the situation, questioning why it took over 40 seconds to bring out the red flag after Stroll’s accident. Verstappen’s time placed him only 12th on the board, which, combined with his grid penalty, dropped him down to a disappointing 17th position.
Here is Max Verstappen's reaction -
A day full of crashes at Interlagos!
Red Bull’s other driver, Sergio Perez, also experienced a rough session, exiting in Q2 after placing 13th. Perez was vocal about his dissatisfaction, questioning Red Bull’s decision to send him out from the pit lane and debating with his race engineer, Hugh Bird, over the strategy.
The qualifying session saw additional drama as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz also crashed heavily at Turn 2 during Q2. Sainz, on intermediate tyres, lost control while negotiating the wet conditions through the Senna Esses, resulting in significant rear damage to his Ferrari. With his car needing repairs, Sainz faces a challenging task to prepare for the main race.
In contrast, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri skillfully manoeuvred the wet track with intermediate tyres, setting a fast lap time of 1:25.179. His choice to switch to intermediates gave him a significant edge over drivers who remained on full wets, allowing him to post an impressive time in unpredictable conditions.
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