But Vettel unhappy with Red Bull driver's late overtake
Monday 14 November 2016 12:19, UK
Max Verstappen's performance in the Brazilian GP has been hailed as "one of the best ever in Formula 1" history.
The teenager produced an incredible display to claim third at the chequered flag having been as low as 15th with barely 10 laps remaining.
"His recovery was amazing," Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Sky F1. "That was one of the best drives I've seen in Formula 1.
"We gave him a huge amount to do and the way he drove those last 15 laps was unbelievable."
Earlier in the race Verstappen had swept around the outside of world championship leader Nico Rosberg at Turn Three with another astonishing act of wheel-perfect daring.
Referring to Toto Wolff's controversial call to Max's father, Jos, Horner quipped: "Play that one for Toto. Again, it was hugely brave, he went to the outside and just kept it planted in almost zero visibility."
The Red Bull driver then held on to second place ahead of Rosberg despite a mini-spin on the penultimate corner that triggered what was described 'as the save of the season' as the 19-year-old just managed to keep his car out of the barriers.
After pitting for intermediate tyres, Verstappen was then caught out when heavy rain started to fall again at Interlagos. Verstappen then pitted for a second time, relegating him out of the points, before launching overtake after overtake to rescue third.
It was a move that the Dutchman feels may have cost him a victory, but he enjoyed himself nevertheless.
"Definitely," the Dutch driver told Sky Sports F1 when asked if the call had cost him. "But it gave me more fun as well. We are not fighting for the championship and I had a good time."
However, one man at Interlagos unimpressed with Verstappen was Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.
Two weeks after clashing with Verstappen at the Mexican GP, Vettel slithered off the track as he was overtaken by Verstappen's Red Bull and suggested afterwards that the move was illegal.
"I think I was racing him side-by-side, he saw me and I still had a little bit of my nose ahead," Vettel told Sky Italy. "On the corner he got past, I don't think it was correct."
Don't miss the F1 Report's Brazilian GP review on Sky Sports F1 on Wednesday at 8.30pm
