Interlagos rewind: Three memorable moments from the São Paulo Grand Prix
05 November 2026Formula 1 returns to Interlagos for the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, a circuit that has provided some of the sport's most dramatic championship conclusions and spectacular displays of driving ability.
From a heartbreaking title defeat on the final lap to two remarkable performances from Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, here are three of the most memorable moments from the Brazilian Grand Prix.
1. 2008: Hamilton snatches the title on the final corner
The 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix delivered one of the most extraordinary championship finales in Formula 1 history, with Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa fighting for the Drivers' Championship right down to the closing moments of the season.
Massa arrived at his home race knowing victory was essential, but he also needed Hamilton to finish outside the top five if he was to become Brazil's first World Champion since Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian driver did his part, taking pole position before producing a commanding performance to lead his home crowd towards a famous victory.
Hamilton, meanwhile, was struggling to maintain the fifth place he needed to secure the championship. A late spell of rain changed everything, with the McLaren driver losing ground and finding himself behind Sebastian Vettel in sixth. But Hamilton closed in on Timo Glock – still struggling on dry tyres – and on the very last corner of the final lap, Hamilton swept past Glock to reclaim fifth place and secure his maiden World Championship by a single point.
2. 2016: Verstappen's spectacular wet-weather charge
The 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix was another rain-soaked spectacle at Interlagos, but while Lewis Hamilton led from start to finish, it was teenage sensation Max Verstappen who produced one of the most eye-catching drives of the season, perhaps even the decade.
Just 19 years old, the Red Bull driver demonstrated his confidence in the challenging conditions from the opening stages, passing Kimi Räikkönen before making an impressive move around the outside of Nico Rosberg to claim second place.
But Verstappen's afternoon was far from straightforward. A dramatic sideways moment on the main straight very nearly ended his race, and, having dropped as far back as 14th after pitting for tyres, Verstappen carved his way through the field, overtaking 11 cars on his way back to third place.
3. 2021: Hamilton’s comeback for the ages
Lewis Hamilton returned to Brazil in 2021 facing a formidable challenge. Max Verstappen held the advantage in the championship, and the Mercedes driver needed a major result at Interlagos to keep his hopes of a record-breaking eighth title alive.
Friday initially went perfectly, with Hamilton setting the fastest time in qualifying for Saturday's Sprint. However, a technical inspection uncovered a problem with his DRS opening, and he was subsequently disqualified, forcing him to start the Sprint from the back of the grid.
Hamilton responded by charging through the field to finish fifth, but a separate five-place grid penalty for an engine change meant he would start Sunday's Grand Prix from 10th. Undeterred, the seven-time World Champion set about working his way through the pack, eventually closing on Verstappen, who was leading the race for Red Bull.
Their battle intensified as Hamilton searched for a way past, with Verstappen defending aggressively and forcing both cars wide during an exchange at Turn 4. But Hamilton refused to let the opportunity slip away. On Lap 59, he finally found the opening he needed, using DRS on the run towards Turn 4 to sweep past his championship rival and take control of the race, before going on to win by more than 10 seconds, keeping his title challenge alive and sending the Interlagos crowd into raptures.
