Verstappen finishes second in São Paulo GP from back of grid
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The gist
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen finished second in the São Paulo Grand Prix after starting from P21.
The podium keeps him second in the standings despite a difficult Red Bull season.
Background
Max Verstappen is a Dutch four-time F1 champion (2021-24) driving for Oracle Red Bull Racing. Red Bull had a slow start to 2026, with Verstappen scoring only the odd podium in the first half of the year and regularly complaining about car balance, and he was heavily linked with an exit before committing to Red Bull to 2030. He started the Brazilian Grand Prix from the back of the grid due to an engine penalty, confirmed by team principal Laurent Mekies.
How it unfolded
- Mar 29, 2026Verstappen says he is considering his future in F1 after finishing eighth in the Japanese Grand Prix, citing the new engine rules.
- May 1, 2026F1 revises its controversial new rules as Verstappen says he may quit.
- Aug 20, 2026Verstappen commits to four more years with Red Bull, extending his contract to 2030, after weighing up leaving F1.
- Oct 11, 2026Verstappen wins the Singapore Grand Prix, his second consecutive win after Malaysia, racing with a broken radio.
- Nov 1, 2026Verstappen wins the Mexico City Grand Prix, his third victory of the season.
- Nov 7, 2026Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies confirms Verstappen will start the Brazilian Grand Prix from the back of the grid due to an engine penalty.
- Nov 8, 2026Verstappen finishes second in the São Paulo Grand Prix from P21 on the grid, 14 seconds behind winner Lando Norris, securing his eighth consecutive podium.
- Nov 9, 2026Verstappen seeks a Red Bull investigation into an 'extreme' balance swing on his RB22 after the switch to slick tyres in São Paulo.
Key terms
- engine penalty
- Rules set by the FIA governing car specifications, racing procedures, scoring and penalties in Formula One.
- oversteer
- A vehicle handling condition where the rear wheels slide outward, making the car turn more than the steering input.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Driver
- Verstappen said starting from P21 and still finishing on the podium is 'a very good result', though the car felt 'undriveable' with 'extreme oversteer' after the switch to slicks.
- Driver
- Verstappen said he had 'extreme amounts of oversteer in the high-speed corners' and that the team needs to understand what went missing or broke.
- Team
- Red Bull head of strategy Hannah Schmitz said the team is looking into several changes for Verstappen's car and knows what the issues are.
- Rival
- Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said 'this notion of win at all costs, selfish, opportunistic, ruthless for your own benefit, that model of racing driver has died'.
Still unverified
Verstappen is unsure of the cause of the car issue in São Paulo, saying 'I don't want to say [something] failed' and that 'something probably fell off or broke'.