Max Verstappen admits his thrilling pass on Sergio Perez at the Brazilian Grand Prix was inspired by Kimi Raikkonen's on Michael Schumacher at the same spot in 2012.

In a race low on excitement, Verstappen once again stole the headlines with a ballsy move around the outside of the Force India driver at the Senna Esses. The 18-year-old held firm across the kerbs and then made the move stick on the exit of the corner, something he learned from watching Raikkonen do the same to Schumacher during the seven-time world champion's final race three years ago.

"I saw it a few years ago between Raikkonen and Schumacher," Verstappen said afterwards. "I thought that looked nice -- and then I had the opportunity to do it. You can do your best, but if the other one doesn't care and smashes you off track then it is over. Luckily Checo is very fair, so we had a great fight."

Verstappen admits there was slight contact with Perez during the pass but that it aided his cause.

"There was a bit of clear air, and I braked around the outside, trying not to lock up. He was trying to push me wide, and we had a little touch in to Turn 2. But that was good for me as it meant I could get the job done."

Not content to just do it once, Verstappen repeated the pass on Sauber's Felipe Nasr later in the grand prix. With his Toro Rosso's Renault power unit still lacking straight-line speed Verstappen says his exit from the final corner was essential on both occasions.

"At the other part of the track we just didn't have enough straight-line speed so it was all about the last corner, how good your exit was. All the time I passed I had a good exit compared to the guy in front."

Verstappen later admitted his tenth position was the "maximum" he could have achieved in Brazil. That has become ninth after Felipe Massa's exclusion from the race result, though Williams have appealed that decision to the stewards.