Max Verstappen has once again made Formula 1 history. The Dutchman managed to secure a podium finish at the São Paulo Grand Prix, starting from the pit lane. After a disastrous qualifying round – his worst in over four years – Verstappen put on a real overtaking spectacle during the race. He eventually crossed the finish line in third place, further enhancing his impressive podium record.
The race weekend in Brazil started off challenging for the Red Bull driver. On Friday, he qualified sixth for the sprint race, only to narrowly miss the podium on Saturday. However, things went completely wrong for Verstappen in the subsequent qualifying round. In his RB21, he failed to join the top fifteen and had to leave the battlefield in Q1. Red Bull took a gamble and decided to thoroughly overhaul the car for the main event; the team opted for a new setup and an engine change.
Formula 1 History
As a result, Verstappen had to start from the pit lane on Sunday – but that didn’t stop him from finishing on the podium. While the Dutchman claimed victory from the back of the field in São Paulo last year, this time he had to settle for third place. “I never expected that,” he beamed afterwards. His performance not only earned him crucial points but also a new record in the Formula 1 history books.
Verstappen is now officially the driver with podium finishes from the most different starting positions. He finished in the top three from sixteen different starting positions and from the pit lane – seventeen in total. With this, he breaks the record he shared with Fernando Alonso before the weekend. Verstappen finished on the podium from the following starting positions: P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P9, P10, P14, P15, P16, P17, P18, P20, and – as of Sunday – the pit lane.
