As the engines cooled down and the thunderstorm passed, the paddock at Interlagos buzzed with many tales of what could have been. One such tale is of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. In a qualifying session that saw Max Verstappen clinch pole position with a remarkable lap time of 1:10:727s, narrowly edging out Charles Leclerc, the story was as much about the achievements as it was about the near misses.

The final stage of qualifying was a nail-biter, with dry conditions abruptly changing as the wind picked up and grip levels plummeted, leaving drivers to navigate a suddenly treacherous track. The unstable weather conditions played a pivotal role in the day’s outcome, and it was the rookie, Oscar Piastri, who became the unforeseen catalyst in a dramatic turn of events.

A spin of fate: Oscar Piastri’s spin alters Sergio Perez’s qualifying destiny

Piastri, who had shown exceptional pace throughout the session, was in contention for a remarkable pole position. However, his aspirations, and potentially those of Perez, were dashed in the final moments. The Australian’s loss of control and subsequent off-track excursion through the grass not only ended his qualifying bid but also inadvertently thwarted Perez’s final flying lap. As Perez approached the last corner, he encountered the yellow flags from Piastri’s incident, forcing him to ease off the throttle, a move that saw him tumble down the order.

In a post-qualifying interview with F1TV, a clearly disappointed Perez reflected on the incident, “We were just incredibly unlucky today. I should have been on the front row. My lap was very close to Max’s until the final corner. And then I found Piastri so I had to backup my lap and that meant… being nowhere. Very unfortunate but yeah.”

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While Verstappen revels in his prime starting position, his teammate Perez is left to ponder what might have been. The Mexican driver, no stranger to overcoming challenges, will be looking to Sunday’s race to reclaim a chance at victory from the jaws of misfortune.

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Adding on to what could’ve been, here’s what could still be happening. Verstappen has openly expressed his desire to sidestep the team order tensions that marred his race at last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix. The Red Bull ace faced criticism when he defied a team call to yield a position to his then-companion on the tracks, Sergio Perez. As the current season accelerates towards its climax…

Max Verstappen seeks to steer clear of team order turmoil at Brazil GP

Today, as the championship gears up for its final showdowns, Verstappen remains optimistic about Perez’s prospects, who leads his nearest rival, Lewis Hamilton, by a substantial margin. The Dutch driver underlines a shared belief that their car holds a performance edge, a factor that could naturally secure the desired team outcome without the need for controversial orders.

Reflecting on last year’s incident, Verstappen acknowledges that the pre-race briefings may not have been as thorough as needed. His recent remarks suggest a lesson learned, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and strategic planning.

“Let’s just hope that we don’t get into that situation. I think it’s better for everyone,” Verstappen remarked to the press. His commentary reveals a driver who is as much about team cohesion as he is about crossing the finish line first.

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With only three rounds remaining in the championship, will Red Bull’s racing strategy hit the mark without friction, or will the ghosts of races past emerge once more? Verstappen, for one, is determined to keep the past where it belongs — firmly in the rear-view mirror.