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Brazilian Grand Prix

Red Bull chief slams FIA 'unfairness' after DRAMATIC Brazilian GP

Helmut Marko was not happy with the FIA at the Brazilian Grand Prix

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 5 November 2024 09:12 Updated: 11:41

Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has criticised the FIA during a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.

The team's star driver Max Verstappen managed to claim his first race victory since June in Interlagos, cutting through the field spectacularly having started the race down in 17th.

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Despite a poor qualifying and a sprint race in which he lost out to championship rival Lando Norris, Verstappen extended his title lead to 62 points following the dramatic weekend in Brazil.

A postponed qualifying, five red flags during the resulting Sunday morning session, and multiple disruptions to the main race ensured a thrilling weekend, thanks in part to awful weather conditions present in Sao Paulo.

Max Verstappen won the Brazilian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris had been embroiled in a fierce championship battle

Verstappen's stunning comeback drive

Arguably one of Verstappen's greatest-ever drives, the Brazilian GP victory may have cemented his fourth consecutive world championship title, with just three races left in the season for Norris to try and close the mammoth gap.

However, the stunning recovery drive from 17th to first may not have been needed, had it not have been for a dramatic moment for the Dutchman during Sunday morning qualifying.

As Lance Stroll crashed into the barriers, Verstappen was on a flying lap, trying to desperately get himself out of the dropzone in Q2.

However, as he was halfway through that lap, the stewards decided to red-flag the session, around 50 seconds after Stroll had initially crashed.

Lance Stroll was one of five drivers to crash in qualifying in Brazil

Due to the time left on the clock during the session, Q2 was not restarted, leaving Verstappen down in 12th and out of qualifying altogether. With a five-place grid penalty for using a new internal combustion engine, it meant Verstappen started the main event way down in 17th.

Ahead of the race, Marko spoke of his disapproval of the FIA's late red flag, suggesting Verstappen had been 'unfairly treated'.

"The mood is not very pleasant," he told Sky Sports Germany.

"We feel unfairly treated. Yesterday the virtual safety car took way too long. So that was incomprehensible. Today the decision that after Stroll's crash it took more than 50 seconds until the red flag came when during the Alonso crash or the Colapinto one it was within 7 or 8 seconds.

"These discrepancies and everything to the disadvantage for us because at that time Max would have been still in qualifying. That makes us think.

"The car would have been still drivable, it's what they said and they wanted to give the driver the chance to bring the car to the pit lane so that he could repair it later. But what I saw was that the car was no longer drivable. So I don't know what they were looking at.

"And the discrepancy, the other incidents, were within 7-8 seconds and here it took 50 seconds. Well, it's a decision you have to make. It's just not understandable."

Written by

Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen FIA Helmut Marko Brazilian Grand Prix Interlagos