Verstappen's Interlagos Victory Reminds Komatsu Of Senna At Donington

Monday, 20 January 2025 at 16:27

Haas's team principal, Ayao Komatsu, compares Max Verstappen to Ayrton Senna as he remembers his triumph at Interlagos.

The 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix will go down as one of Max Verstappen's best performances in Formula 1. Although the four-time world champion doesn't like to pick his best race, he admitted that this one would definitely be up there.

The 27-year-old Red Bull Racing driver had to start the race at Interlagos Circuit from P17 after being knocked out of qualifying in P12 due to an unlucky red flag and then taking an additional five-place grid penalty for a new engine.

It was a crucial point in the season as Lando Norris, who was second in the championship and started from pole position, could potentially get a huge point swing in his favor.

However, no one could match Max Verstappen on the wet track at Interlagos that day. The four-time world champion went from P17 into P1 and even finished more than 20 seconds ahead of everyone.

Read also

Villeneuve Could See Lawson Helping Verstappen 'Drive Even Better'

The team principal of Haas, Ayao Komatsu, was taken aback by the performance that the Red Bull Racing F1 driver showed. He said in an interview with RacingNews365:

"I remember at Interlagos, it was really wet, and he just drove around everyone, going through wet lines, but it was like you are racing against, I wouldn't say amateurs, but it was like somebody in a different category."

"It is like Senna at Donnington when he went to P1 and just drove around everyone like he was on a different tire, but Max did it exactly the same.

In comparing Verstappen's effort to Ayrton Senna at Donington, the team principal was reffered to the legendary 1993 edition of the European Grand Prix that took place at Donington Park circuit.

Although he didn't have the fastest car at that time, Senna, who dropped to P5 off the line, overtook four drivers ahead of him in one lap in the tricky wet conditions.

It should also be noted that it wasn't just any drivers four drivers. These included Alain Prost, Damon Hill, and Michael Schumacher. Ultimately, Senna won the Grand Prix, 1 minute and 23 seconds ahead of Hill in the second place. Komatsu continued about Verstappen:

"He drove past everybody like the other guys were not F1 drivers. It is amazing, and also his mental strength as well, I've never worked with Max, but whenever I hear about his ability for him to be able to drive the car on the nose shows the amazing talent he has got."