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Max Verstappen delivered a stunning performance in the São Paulo Grand Prix, charging from a pit lane start to finish third. It was an eye-catching display that has now earned him a unique place in Formula 1’s record books.
What began as a weekend heading towards disaster quickly turned around. Verstappen struggled for grip throughout practice but salvaged a fourth place in the Sprint, giving Red Bull some confidence. Qualifying confirmed their fears, though, as Verstappen could do no better than sixteenth.
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A new engine and a significant setup change meant Verstappen had to start the race from the pit lane. But like a man possessed, he blasted through the field. Even an additional stop for a slow puncture couldn’t derail him. Verstappen climbed to third and came close to beating Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli for second.
Another Remarkable Comeback
For the second year in a row, Verstappen thrilled the Brazilian fans with a spectacular recovery drive. Last year, he started seventeenth in heavy rain due to a grid penalty and fought his way to victory. Many experts place this year’s performance on par with that effort, and it has given him another impressive record.
New F1 Record for Verstappen
Verstappen is now the driver who has reached the podium from the most different starting positions in Formula 1 history. He has now scored 124 career podiums, achieved from seventeen different grid slots — including a pit lane start, which also counts towards the statistic.
Verstappen’s Unique Achievements
Verstappen has reached the podium 41 times from pole position, and his second-place starting spot has yielded 28 podiums. Remarkably, he has taken at least one podium from every position in the top ten, and even from P18 (United States 2018) and P20 (Russia 2021).
His relentless ability to carve through the field continues to set him apart as one of the sport’s greatest racers.
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