Max Verstappen has extended an extraordinary Formula 1 podium record by finishing second at the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix despite starting from 21st position. The Red Bull driver has now secured podium finishes from 18 different starting positions, including the pit lane, underlining his remarkable ability to fight through the field regardless of where he begins a race.
At Interlagos, the four-time world champion once again turned an apparently difficult weekend into an outstanding result, climbing from the back row of the grid to second place. His performance reflected Red Bull’s significant improvements in recent months, the benefit of a fresh engine and, above all, Max Verstappen’s exceptional sensitivity and car control in wet or mixed conditions, an area in which he currently appears to have no equal in Formula 1.
Max Verstappen extends remarkable F1 podium record at Interlagos
For Max Verstappen, extraordinary performances are increasingly becoming routine. His latest recovery drive in Brazil added another entry to a statistical achievement in which the Dutchman already stands alone, having reached the podium from more different starting positions than any other driver in Formula 1 history.
By finishing in the top three after starting from P21, Max Verstappen has now recorded podium finishes from 18 distinct starting positions, one of which is the pit lane. Only five grid positions remain absent from his remarkable collection: P11, P12, P13, P19 and P22.
The 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix therefore added another milestone to a career already defined by spectacular recovery drives. With Max Verstappen continuing to challenge near the top of the Drivers’ Championship, his ability to recover positions has remained an important feature of his performances.
Max Verstappen’s F1 podiums by starting position: complete statistics
The following table shows the distribution of Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 podium finishes according to his starting position, together with the most recent Grand Prix at which he achieved a top-three result from each position.
| Starting position | Number of podiums | Most recent podium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44 | 2026 Singapore GP |
| 2 | 31 | 2026 United States GP |
| 3 | 24 | 2026 Spanish GP |
| 4 | 14 | 2026 Hungarian GP |
| 5 | 6 | 2026 Mexico City GP |
| 6 | 4 | 2026 Canadian GP |
| 7 | 4 | 2022 Italian GP |
| 8 | 2 | 2026 Azerbaijan GP |
| 9 | 1 | 2023 Miami GP |
| 10 | 1 | 2022 Hungarian GP |
| 14 | 1 | 2022 Belgian GP |
| 15 | 1 | 2023 Saudi Arabian GP |
| 16 | 1 | 2017 Chinese GP |
| 17 | 1 | 2024 São Paulo GP |
| 18 | 1 | 2018 United States GP |
| 20 | 1 | 2021 Russian GP |
| 21 | 1 | 2026 São Paulo GP |
| Pit lane | 1 | 2025 São Paulo GP |
The figures illustrate the breadth of Max Verstappen’s podium achievements, from his 44 top-three finishes starting on pole position to his remarkable results from the back of the grid. They also highlight how frequently he has transformed difficult starting positions into strong race finishes, a characteristic that has become particularly evident at Interlagos.
Which starting positions are missing from Verstappen’s podium record?
Although five grid positions remain missing from Max Verstappen’s podium record, the Red Bull driver has rarely had the opportunity to start from several of them. Since joining Red Bull, he has qualified or started from P11 on only three occasions, narrowly missing a podium at Spa-Francorchamps in 2024 by just seven-tenths of a second.
He has started from P13 only once, at Monza in 2017, and from P19 on two occasions. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen has never started a Grand Prix from either P12 or P22 during his time with Red Bull, meaning those two positions have not yet offered him an opportunity to extend this particular statistic.
His recent results have also reflected the progress made by Red Bull, although the team has experienced difficult weekends along the way, including the engine issues highlighted by Max Verstappen following the United States Grand Prix. The team’s recovery has also been reflected in its recent Constructors’ Championship battle with Ferrari.
How Verstappen compares with Hamilton, Raikkonen and other F1 drivers
Max Verstappen’s achievement places him ahead of several celebrated Formula 1 drivers in the ranking of podium finishes from different starting positions. Kimi Raikkonen occupies the next position with podiums from 16 distinct starting places, while Lewis Hamilton, Rubens Barrichello and Jacques Laffite have each achieved the feat from 15 different positions.
There is another interesting similarity between these drivers. With the exception of Jacques Laffite, all of them have managed to finish in the top three after starting from the pit lane, further highlighting their ability to overcome difficult circumstances during a Grand Prix.
With his latest Interlagos comeback, Max Verstappen has strengthened his position at the top of this unusual statistical ranking, adding another achievement to a career already filled with remarkable recovery drives.
More Formula 1 news about Max Verstappen and Red Bull
- Max Verstappen demands answers from Red Bull after United States Grand Prix
- Red Bull draws level with McLaren after a dramatic championship recovery
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