By Graham Duxbury @TheRealDux

Amazing drive by Max Verstappen to third in last weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix. The race was a strategic thriller, with Red Bull’s decision to pit Verstappen for a final, soft-tyre charge to the flag dividing opinion among fans and analysts alike.

Many wondered if staying out on his worn mediums might have yielded a different outcome. According to team data, had Verstappen stayed out, Lando Norris - on much fresher tyres - would have caught him with three laps remaining.

The question is, could Verstappen have held off a charging Norris for those final laps around Interlagos, a circuit where overtaking is possible but far from easy?

Pirelli rated the life of the medium compound tyre to be 40 laps, while Verstappen would have needed them to last 42.

In clean air at the front, with a clear track, might he have stretched their life just enough to defend for a famous victory? Given the data, was the late pit stop the safer bet.

Whatever the case, Verstappen’s relentless pace and composure under pressure reminded everyone why he remains F1 benchmark performer, even when victory eludes him.