Max Verstappen has all but given up hope of winning a fifth straight Formula One world title, despite his superb drive at Interlagos.

Verstappen came back from a pit-lane start to finish on the podium at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Dutchman has now finished on the podium in seven successive races.

However, with Lando Norris winning in Brazil to extend his lead at the top of the driver standings to 24 points, ahead of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, Verstappen says Red Bull must be realistic with their goals as they head into the final three races of the season.

"We lost already way too many points in the beginning of the season to the middle of the season," Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.

"That we were in that up until now already was quite a surprise, but we have to be realistic, over the whole season we haven't been good enough.

"We will still try everything we can until the end of the season to score some highlights and try to win races – that's what we are here for."

Here's what Max had to say after his epic pit lane to podium race #F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/SgORzRJp9q

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Verstappen is on 341 points, 49 adrift of Norris and 25 behind Piastri.

However, Verstappen does feel that Red Bull have shown plenty of positives across the back half of the season.

"What I like is that, yes, it has been very difficult for us this weekend but the team never gives up," he said.

"We always want to be better, we don't settle for second, otherwise you could easily say after the sprint race, 'let's not touch the car, we are not too bad, let's not risk it'. I don't think that's the mentality of the team.

"We always want to find more performance. Of course, that didn't work out in qualifying, but it did allow us to change the car again and make it a lot more competitive."