Verstappen improves and the epic Alonso returns.

Sao Paulo (EFE).- Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – Triple world champion for a month already Formula 1 – won this Sunday at the Grand Prix of Sao Paulo (Brazil), penultimate in the year and raised his own historic record of victories in the same year in the premier category to 17, in a race that was finished by another masterful performance by the Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin). the third.

Verstappen, 26, who started from pole position, took his 52nd F1 win at Interlagos; with victory, ahead of Englishman Lando Norris (McLaren) and Alonso in second and third place, respectively, in a race in which the second Red Bull, the one from Mexican Sergio Pérez he finished fourth, only 53 thousandths behind the two-time world champion from Asturias; and another Spaniard, Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), sixth.

The Asturian star, at another young age of 42, secured his eighth podium of the season, the 106th since he raced in F1, in a heart-stopping finale in which – on the track where he celebrated his two titles – he defended himself masterfully, in to the second exhibition, from the attack of the Mexican; who nevertheless consolidated his second place in the World Cup, with 258 points, 32 more than the seven-time world champion Englishman Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who finished eighth.

Alonso, in a final that was reminiscent of San Marino Grand Prix 2005when he scored one of his 32 victories at Imola, after fending off an attack from seven-time world champion German Michael Schumacher – who would eventually be dethroned that season – he threw fourth place in the World Cup, now with 198 points, three more than Norris, who is fifth; and six ahead of Sainz, who dropped to sixth overall.

The Verstappen thing has no name. But the performance of Alonso, who in terms of age could be the father of the youngest on the grid, will go down in the annals of F1. His third place this Sunday increases the value, not only because of the manner in which he achieved it, but because it comes after his only two leaving (respectively), in Austin (USA) and in Mexico. Every time his detractors raise their heads, the brilliant Asturian driver hits it, sportingly speaking, with golden hands and a head that works like the best. NASA computer.

The Dutch super-predator started first, after taking his thirty-first pole position in F1 after dominating qualifying, which was closed early, with a red flag, due to the heavy storm that left damage at Interlagos on Friday. A day in which Sainz dominated the only free practice, in which the Dutchman scored for the third time, ahead of Leclerc; in the last of the six weekends of the year with the sprint format, after those of Azerbaijan, Austria, Belgium, Qatar and the United States of America.

The insatiable ‘Mad Max’, second in the ‘sprint shootout’, barely made it to the first of the fifteen corners on the São Paulo track to overtake Lando and take the victory in Saturday’s sprint. In which ‘Checo’ was third, Sainz scratched the final point of the race by finishing eighth; and Alonso, who is Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine) The reduced qualifications “spoiled” him, he had to settle for an improvement of four places and an eleventh place. And to see, after two bad weekends, AMR23 had a good pace again.

The two-time world champion from Asturias – on the circuit where he celebrated his two titles (2005 and 2006) – started fourth, together with his team-mate, the Canadian Lance Stroll, in the second row completely in an Aston Martin; behind a great sports idol Holland and Leclerc, which started from the first.

Sainz finished seventh, fourth, just behind George Russell; and behind two more Englishmen, the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton – former Mercedes teammate – and Norris. ‘Checo’ started ninth, alongside the talented ones Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Australia’s great hope and by far the track’s best debutant.

He met the entire start with a soft tire, except for the American Logan Sargeant, penultimate on the grid with his Williams Leclerc He lost control of his Ferrari due to hydraulic problems and crashed out of the race on the formation lap, in theory eliminating Fernando’s rival for the podium.

At the start, in which Verstappen went without a problem, the Asturian genius passed Stroll, but was overtaken by Norris – who advanced six places – and Hamilton. That, right before the Dane had an accident. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) and Thai Alex Albon (Wiliams), the incident that caused, after the first entry of the safety car on the track, the interruption of the race, with a red flag.

The race was restarted, again from barbecue, first ‘Mad Max’, in front of two Englishmen; with Alonso fourth and Sainz eighth, one place behind ‘Checo’. And with Piastri and his compatriot Daniel Ricciardo (Alpha Tauri), who repaired their cars, also damaged, they continue their march from the pits.

At the start – everyone with soft tires, except Piastri, with media-, Verstappen and Lando They left without a problem; and Alonso passed Hamilton in the fourth turn, moving into third place. Pérez passed Stroll and was sixth; and Sainz ran eighth.

Norris pushed so that the new Dutch idol would not get too far away from him, and Fernando drove more and more calmly, in front of the two Mercedes, which slowed down the progress of ‘Checo’. What happened to Russell on the 14th i He began to put pressure on Hamilton, who later overcame three turns: one before the Briton became the first of the important to stop, installed the medium.

On the 21st, he entered the ‘Checo’ garages, one turnafter Russell. Professor from Oviedo He did it on track 26, one lap ahead of Sainz. All, up to moderately complex; just like ‘Mad Max’ and Norris, 28, did.

After the changeover, after half the race, Verstappen led in front of Norris and Fernando, who started to be threatened by ‘Checo’; with Stroll in fifth place – where he would finish -, in front Hamilton and Russell; and Charles the Eighthwith two Mercedes in range.

With more and more wind on the track, Carlos overtook Russell and by the 37th lap he was already sixth, after passing Sir Lewis; and was running one place behind Stroll.

Fernando, who stayed away DRS zone in ‘Czech’, He has a new set of softies left. The Mexican attempted an undercut on lap 47, but Aston Martin was alert and one later in came Alonso, rejoining the track ahead of the brave driver from Guadalajara, who was three seconds behind.

Sainz put on the soft tires in 52, one ahead of Stroll, who made a bad stop, only to also fit a soft tire but would eventually hold on to fifth place. In some very exciting moments, Checo put the most pressure on Fernando, who defended him best entering the game. Mexican DRS zone, which marked a provisional fast lap fifteen minutes from the finish.

One moment later Max stopped and Lando, who was yet to stop, took ptemporary leadership.

Verstappen regained it in 61 – when the Englishman stopped -, raised his stratospheric historic record of F1 victories to 17 and with 52 he was within touching distance of one of the Germans Sebastian Vettel, who was leading – also in almost invincible cars designed by the Englishman Adrian Newey, of a true guru of aerodynamics – the previous glorious journey of Red Bull (2010-2013). Which he could equal or even surpass in the last two races of the year; he placed third in history, behind ‘Kaiser’ (91) and Hamilton (103).

Lando settled for a quick lap. AND Alonso performed a masterful defense in the last laps, until the penultimate lap, in which Red Bull overtook him.

Although, far from throwing in the towel, what the Asturian star did was to maintain his heroics and reclaim third place from the very noble ‘Checo’ at turn four. The best Mexican driver in history was pushing at the end, and the position almost had to be decided by a ‘photo finish’, because both crossed the finish line wheel by wheel. But for only 53 thousandths, the very durable Alonso, the undisputed flagship of Aston Martin, reached the podium. By which he confirmed that he is one of the best athletes in History of Spain; and this Sunday once again amazed the whole world.