Poll picks Verstappen’s 2024 Interlagos recovery as his best

Max Verstappen’s recovery from 17th to victory in the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix was the top choice in a RacingNews365 poll comparing three Interlagos comebacks, receiving 60.5% of the vote. His 2026 drive from 21st to second finished runner-up on 29.2%, while the 2025 pit-lane start to third received 10.3%.

A five-place penalty for taking a sixth internal combustion engine dropped Verstappen from provisional 12th to 17th after rain-hit, red-flagged qualifying in 2024. In heavy rain, he stayed out under a virtual safety car. When the race was red-flagged, he gained a free tyre change, then passed Esteban Ocon into Turn 1 at the restart.

In 2026, Red Bull’s installation of a fifth power unit, turbocharger and exhaust triggered an automatic 30-place penalty, leaving Verstappen at the back. He gained eight positions on the wet opening lap, passed Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri and Alex Albon, then was waved through by team-mate Isack Hadjar for second around mid-distance.

In 2025, Verstappen started from the pit lane and recovered from an early puncture before passing George Russell with eight laps remaining to take third.