Max Verstappen Hits Devastating Career-First In Brazil Qualifying

Max Verstappen has dominated around the Autodromo Carlos Pace Circuit in Sao Paulo in recent years with multiple victories. In 2025, though, it's the home to one of his worst results to date.

Max Verstappen, Brazil, Post-Qualifying | Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Max Verstappen has solidly been on track to achieve one of the 'greatest comebacks' in F1 World Drivers' Championship history in the back half of the 2025 season.

He closed his Championship gap from over 100 points at summer break to 30 points separating him and McLaren's Oscar Piastri and 39 points short of the leader, McLaren's Lando Norris.

That said, his Championship hopes may have just come to a screeching halt after his performance in the Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying session today.

For the first time in Max Verstappen's career, the Red Bull Driver and 4-time World Champion was knocked out in Q1 on pure performance and not due to power unit issues or penalties. He will start P16 tomorrow based on his qualifying pace.

Verstappen Admits to Struggling the Whole Weekend So Far

While this is the most uncharacteristic qualifying result that the F1 world has seen from Max Verstappen, it is not the first indication that the Red Bull cars have been struggling for pace in Sao Paulo.

Max qualified P6 yesterday in Sprint Qualifying and managed to finish the sprint race in 4th after an intense challenge from Fernando Alonso for most of the Sprint.

Max Verstappen after failing to reach Q2 in qualifying for the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos. | Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Even so, the difference between qualifying in P6 and P16 is massive, especially for Verstappen. The Red Bull team did make changes to his car after complaints about handling and grip during the sprint. When asked about the changes, Max admitted the car was "clearly worse... just no feeling".

Verstappen knew the car wasn't handling well, but with his specific needs when it comes to car 'drivability', even Max was shocked at how poorly the car performed.

"Yeah its not what you want to see. This is a bit unexpected after changing quite a bit on the car. It was just not responding. I had no grip out there so I had to really massively underdrive it, basically. It just didn't work."

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, P16

Don't Count Verstappen Out for a Race Win in Brazil

All of this to say — this is Max Verstappen in a Red Bull, and he has been worse off in Brazil before.

Verstappen started the 2024 race in P17 after taking on a new power unit and dropping grid positions —a race he went on to win.

Naturally, it has to be said that this is the first time Max has qualified this low on pace. However, when asked about potentially taking a new power unit, again, after qualifying so low... Max didn't shrug it off.

As for Red Bull and Verstappen, they have a lot of fine-tuning to do tonight before tomorrow's Brazilian Grand Prix. Whether or not Verstappen will take a grid penalty to make necessary adjustments to the car's drivability or power will likely be reported in the morning.

All of this to say, Verstappen is very much still in the championship fight if his prior performances in Brazil are any indication, it just may be a long and difficult day for the Dutch driver tomorrow.

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