Red Bull would have instructed Verstappen to return second place to Hadjar

Red Bull would have instructed Max Verstappen to return second place to Isack Hadjar during the São Paulo Grand Prix if the teammates had stayed close enough, team principal Laurent Mekies said after the race. A second switch did not take place: Mekies said the cars were too far apart when rain returned, and the rain intensified again late in the race.

Red Bull first asked Hadjar, who started fifth, to let Verstappen through on lap 38. Verstappen had started 21st after a power-unit penalty; the move was intended to give him a chance to chase race leader Lando Norris, whose lead was more than nine seconds.

Hadjar stayed within a second of Verstappen after the swap and asked whether the positions would be reversed if Verstappen could not catch Norris. Mekies said Red Bull would have made that second change had the cars stayed close, citing Hadjar's strong pace and his ability to stay with Verstappen.

Verstappen finished second behind Norris, with Hadjar third, completing a double podium for Red Bull in the rain-affected 71-lap race.