Verstappen draws comparisons to F1 greats

Dutch teenager Max Verstappen has produced a great drive to finish third at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen was compared to Formula One greats Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher after the Dutch teenager's sensational drive to third place in a wet and chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix.

In the last 15 laps, after a change to extreme wet tyres, Verstappen passed 13 cars as he went from 16th place to the podium.

Think Spain 1996, a race that earned Schumacher his 'rainmaster' tag after the German dominated in a downpour, or Senna's astonishing drive to second place in a Toleman at a wet Monaco 1984.

Offered both examples, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner accepted them.

"I think it is right up there, you've got to compare it to those great moments. You don't often witness a motor race like that. What we saw today was something very, very special," he said.

Verstappen, in his second full season but a winner already in Spain in May on his Red Bull debut, had qualified fourth.

Once the first seven laps behind the safety car were done, and with the rain tipping down, the Dutchman dived past Ferrari's 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen at turn one to take third place.

With the race twice stopped and re-started, Verstappen then took second from Mercedes's championship leader Nico Rosberg around the outside on lap 32.

He saved a half-spin, and stayed ahead until pitting for intermediate tyres on lap 43 - an error that the team rectified 11 laps later.

From then on, it was a full-on charge back to third.

"We gave him a huge amount to do and the way he drove those last 15 laps was unbelievable," Horner said.

Verstappen was course to finish second and even catch Hamilton, but Red Bulls tyre gamble didn't come off.

"Win? Maybe not, but I think second was definitely possible," Verstappen said.

"I think we were in quite a safe position in second but sometimes you have to gamble to try and win the race.

"That is what we tried today but it didn't work out. We are still on the podium with some great overtakes so I am quite a happy person."


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Source: AAP



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