Max Verstappen said he “just got stuck” behind Charles Leclerc on his way to victory at Interlagos on Sunday, joking that he was “actually pretty decent” at defending against him.

Verstappen He made multiple brave moves around the inside of the Senna S on Sunday as he made his way through the field, but Leclerc forced the reigning World Champion to the outside and kept him at bay before the Red Bull driver finally found his way.

Max Verstappen ‘stuck’ behind Charles Leclerc en route to Brazilian GP victory

Verstappen started 17th, but was up to 11th at the end of the first lap, weaving around the outside of several cars at the Curva do Sol and weaving his way through traffic, before darting around the inside of Lewis Hamilton at the end of the first lap to climb up. to the tenth.

He continued to climb positions in the early part of the race, with Turn 1 proving to be his favorite overtaking spot on the track, but it was Ferrari driver Leclerc who seemed to give him the toughest battle of the day.

I sat next to his podium mates, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, in the recovery room before the podium ceremony at InterlagosReplays of the race were shown and when Leclerc’s defense against Verstappen appeared on the screen, the Red Bull driver admitted that this was a part of the afternoon in which he struggled to overtake a rival.

“I’m stuck here, because Charles is pretty decent!” Verstappen joked.

It was a difficult afternoon in wet conditions for the drivers, and the reigning World Champion took advantage of the time to set a succession of fastest laps once he overtook Ocon, also at Turn 1, to eventually win by 19 seconds on Sunday.

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When asked what helps him succeed in the rain, he believes it comes down to the drivers who grew up driving in those conditions and who were predisposed to do well on the weekend.

“About the rain, I just told Esteban, it’s like the old days in karting, you know, the guys who were good in the wet, are good today also in Formula 1,” Verstappen said in the post. . -Press conference of the race.

“I also competed with them in karting and they were good in the wet too, you know, so it’s definitely something you learn when you’re younger, I think when you practice a lot.

“I think where we come from, it definitely rains a little more than maybe other places.

“You go out, you practice, you get more comfortable and you’re definitely honing your skills to get better, and I think you carry that and of course you evolve and become even better, and you use that to your advantage. .”

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