Max Verstappen has described his extraordinary recovery from 21st on the grid to second place at the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix as an incredible result. The four-time Formula 1 world champion produced another remarkable wet-weather performance at Interlagos, overcoming a power unit penalty and significant Red Bull handling problems to finish behind race winner Lando Norris.
Isack Hadjar completed the podium in third, securing a double podium for Red Bull and helping the team collect valuable Constructors’ Championship points. Verstappen’s second-place finish also allowed him to extend his advantage over George Russell in the battle for second in the Drivers’ Championship standings.
Max Verstappen celebrates remarkable P21-to-P2 Brazilian GP comeback
McLaren returned to winning ways for the first time since this year’s Dutch Grand Prix, with Lando Norris delivering an excellent weekend in both qualifying and the race at Interlagos. However, the Brazilian Grand Prix might have unfolded differently had Max Verstappen not been forced to start from 21st following a power unit change and the resulting grid penalty.
The Dutchman once again demonstrated his exceptional ability to recover through the field, climbing from the back of the grid to finish second. His achievement was made even more impressive by the changing weather conditions, which complicated the race for every driver.
Speaking after the Grand Prix, Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the result and the strong pace he enjoyed during the opening stint.
“Starting from 21st and coming back to second was an incredible result! We had a lot of fun in the first stint, with great pace and plenty of overtaking, so I’m really happy with that,” Verstappen declared.
Max Verstappen reveals Red Bull oversteer problems at Interlagos
Despite the impressive recovery, Verstappen admitted that he felt Red Bull could have achieved even more. His RB22 became particularly difficult to handle after the switch from intermediate tyres to slicks, with severe oversteer affecting its performance.
The problem complicated the middle part of the race, although the car’s behaviour improved when the changing weather conditions required another switch to intermediate tyres.
“When we switched to slick tyres, we experienced severe oversteer, which made the car difficult to drive, so I felt we could have achieved a little more. Once we went back to the intermediates, things improved again.”
“Finishing second here is fantastic. Hopefully next year we’ll be able to start a little further up the grid, but racing in the wet always provides more opportunities, and that certainly helped us today.”
The result was another reminder of Verstappen’s ability to exploit difficult conditions, particularly at Interlagos. His impressive comeback followed a weekend in which the Red Bull driver had already been forced to manage the consequences of fitting a new power unit.
Isack Hadjar completes Red Bull double podium as Verstappen extends championship advantage
Verstappen was not the only Red Bull driver celebrating after the Brazilian Grand Prix. Isack Hadjar secured third place, giving the Milton Keynes team two cars on the podium and adding to the positive outcome of the weekend.
The Dutchman’s second-place finish also strengthened his position in the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship standings, increasing his advantage over George Russell in their fight for second place.
Although Verstappen admitted that the car’s handling problems had potentially prevented an even better result, he emphasised the importance of the points collected and the need to maintain Red Bull’s momentum over the remaining races.
“We’ve scored important points for the team in the Constructors’ Championship. We need to keep pushing, learn from this weekend and maintain this momentum for the remaining races.”
With Verstappen finishing second and Hadjar third, Red Bull leaves Interlagos with an encouraging double podium. The Dutchman’s extraordinary recovery, achieved despite difficult weather and handling problems, stands out as one of the defining performances of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
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