Max Verstappen bitterness after failing to match early Lewis Hamilton heroics

Max Verstappen has revealed his disappointment at not initially being able to emulate Lewis Hamilton's strong start in the São Paulo Grand Prix and a mistake he made.

Hamilton started 20th at Interlagos and Verstappen 21st after the pair took engine penalties, but in the tricky intermediate conditions of the start, both made strong getaways, with Hamilton running ninth by the end of the opening lap.

Verstappen was 13th at the end of the opening of 71 tours, but passed Hamilton on Lap 3 as the Ferrari began to struggle with graining, with the Red Bull going on to climb to second by the time of the change to slick tyres around Lap 15.

Verstappen then ultimately went onto finish in second, from his 21st place on the grid, the third year in succession he has either started at the back or in the pit-lane and claimed a podium in Brazil, after winning from 17th in 2024 and taking third from the pit-lane last year.

Reflecting, Verstappen revealed that he had actually made a mistake off the line and voiced his disappointment that, on the first lap at least, he could not match Hamilton's pace.

"To be honest, I had a very slow reaction time off the line because I was holding the clutch wrong, so I had to react very quickly," Verstappen revealed to media, including RacingNews365.

"Then I was slow off the line, and that was my mistake. But then I just got a bit unlucky in the first three corners, where it was just like a traffic jam. 

"There were three or four cars in front, blocking basically how much I could pass. Actually, Lewis had a very good first lap. He could really get through those cars, so I was a little bit disappointed that I couldn't make the same headway. 

"But then, within two laps, I was just flying by cars, almost every corner. We had a lot more grip, I guess, than most in the midfield. I don't know what lap I was in the top 10, but it all happened very quickly."

The Dutchman then spoke of his confidence in the wet at Interlagos, including using different racing lines to power past rivals.

"I felt comfortable with the car, confident, just trying to find the grip in different places," he said.

"Then the car is ahead of me, so I try to pass them. This track, of course, also allows you to do different lines, which I think is great because it really helps the racing.

"It's a good track in the dry and wet, and that really sets up more overtaking opportunities. You need to feel good in the car. You need to feel comfortable to be able to risk probably a little bit more, and it's been working for me quite well here."

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Verstappen delivers tyre assessment

Verstappen then offered his opinion on the intermediate and full wet tyres, which were used in anger for the first time over the weekend, but felt that the tyres could be "like a rock."

"I think it's mainly that the working range is a bit too small," he said.

"When they're hot, it's okay, but when they're cold, they're really like a rock. 

"That's something that we need to try and work on, to generate a bigger working range on the Extreme Wet and the Inter. 

"I think that would help a lot with switching on the tyre better and then being able to run even in heavier rain."

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