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When Max Verstappen first raced at Interlagos, he was met with jeers. Brazil saw him as the rival who dared to challenge the legacy of Ayrton Senna, their eternal hero. A decade later, the same stands that once booed him now chant his name. The transformation from villain to fan favourite says as much about Verstappen’s evolution as it does about the passion of Brazilian motorsport.
A complicated beginning
In 2016, Verstappen’s fearless defensive driving against Lewis Hamilton and his late-braking heroics drew comparisons with Senna. Yet, in Brazil, that was almost a sin. The Dutchman’s aggressive style split opinion, and many fans still felt loyalty to Hamilton after their 2021 title duel — when Verstappen famously clinched the crown in Abu Dhabi under controversial circumstances.
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At Interlagos, the tension was palpable. In those early years, Verstappen was fast but fiery, often clashing with rivals and journalists alike. The crowd admired his speed but distrusted his attitude. “He’s too cold,” one local newspaper wrote in 2018. “Senna drove with his heart. Verstappen drives with anger.”
Still, even his critics could not deny what they saw in the rain-soaked race of 2016: a 19-year-old weaving through the field like a veteran, overtaking car after car as if the laws of physics didn’t apply. Brazil loves raw talent, and that Sunday, the first seeds of respect were sown.
The turning point
What changed? Time, and a touch of Brazilian influence. Verstappen’s partner Kelly Piquet, daughter of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, brought him closer to the country. He started visiting São Paulo more often, away from the cameras, quietly building connections with local fans.
By 2024, the transformation was complete. Arriving for the Grand Prix, Verstappen was greeted like a national hero. The chants were no longer “Hamilton, Hamilton!” but “Max! Max! Max!” Flags with his number 1 waved alongside the green and yellow of Brazil.
He rewarded that affection the best way he knows how — by winning. His 2024 victory, storming from sixteenth to first, was a masterclass. Wet or dry, early or late, Verstappen seemed untouchable. The Brazilian fans who once doubted him now celebrated his dominance as if it were their own.
The local connection: Gabriel Bortoleto
Part of Verstappen’s new-found warmth in Brazil also comes from a generational shift. Young fans grew up watching Max, not just Senna or Felipe Massa. And in rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, Brazil sees a kindred spirit — a calm, confident driver whose childhood hero was not Senna, but Verstappen himself.
When asked about it this week, Bortoleto smiled: “I watched Max in the rain here when I was a kid. That’s when I knew I wanted to be in Formula 1.”
For Verstappen, that connection matters. He often praises the new wave of Brazilian racers and enjoys the local atmosphere. In the paddock this week, he was seen joking with fans and greeting them in Portuguese. It’s a subtle shift from the early Verstappen, who kept the world at arm’s length.
Interlagos: the perfect match
Few circuits reward bravery like Interlagos. Its twisting elevation changes, unpredictable weather and emotional grandstands seem to mirror Verstappen’s racing DNA. “This track brings the best out of me,” he once said. “You can feel the history here, but you can also make your own.”
And he has. No active driver has a better average finish at Interlagos in the hybrid era. His 2024 victory from P16 was one of the greatest comebacks ever seen in Brazil — reminiscent of Senna’s storm drives in the 1980s.
Even Hamilton, his old rival, called it “a champion’s performance.” That remark, coming from the man who once fought him bitterly for the title, symbolised how Verstappen’s greatness has transcended rivalry.
A hero reborn in green and yellow
The irony is striking: Brazil once booed Verstappen for not being Senna. Now it embraces him because he is, in spirit, the closest thing to Senna the modern era has. Ruthless but respectful, intense but unflappable, Verstappen embodies the passion for perfection that Brazil has always admired.
This weekend, he returns to Interlagos not as the outsider, but as a celebrated guest. Fans wave banners reading “MAX É O NOSSO CAMPEÃO” — Max is our champion. For a driver once seen as the villain of F1, it’s a poetic reversal.
He may not be Brazilian by birth, but Max Verstappen has earned something just as rare: the heart of Brazil’s racing soul.
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