SÃO PAULO, Brazil – Lewis Hamilton’s brilliance could not be contained throughout the Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos.
In the wake of an infraction that excluded him from Friday’s qualifying, the seven-time series champion responded with a sensational win in Sunday’s main event from the 10th-starting spot.
Until Hamilton added to his greatness, Max Verstappen was on the cusp of another step toward his first title, leading the event through lap 58 of 71.
Hamilton flipped the script and led the final 13 circuits for a 10.496-second victory.
Now Verstappen’s lead has shrunk from 21 points to 14 with three events remaining and Hamilton has all the momentum as he pushes for a record eighth Formula 1 title.
“What a race, the team did an amazing job,” Hamilton said. “Valtteri [Bottas] did a great job. I was pushing as hard as I could. From last on the grid, and then another five-place penalty — I think that’s the hardest weekend I’ve had.”
Before Hamilton’s master-class effort Sunday, no driver had won at Interlagos from outside the eighth-starting spot.
Hamilton was forced to go against that trend twice throughout the weekend: the first when he was disqualified from qualifying, the second his five-place grid penalty even after finishing fifth from the rear in Saturday’s 24-lap sprint.
“Things kept going against us, but it just shows [to] never give up, keep fighting,” Hamilton said. “Never, ever stop fighting. It feels like the first [win].”
Bottas started from the pole but his advantage didn’t last long as Verstappen took the lead at the start.
Hamilton moved swiftly to the front from the 10th-starting position, passing Sergio Perez for second by lap 19.
Following the cycle of pit stops that began on lap 25, Hamilton started pressuring Verstappen on lap 48. As the two fought for position into turn one, Verstappen unleashed a block that sent the championship heavyweights into the runoff area.
It was a move that gave Verstappen breathing room and one the stewards didn’t feel the need to investigate. Hamilton went back to work and completed the winning maneuver with DRS on the run up to turn four.
“We were just missing a bit of pace but we gave it our all and had fun,” Verstappen said. “We still have a good points lead, today was a bit of damage limitation. The coming races we’ll bounce back.”
Bottas finished third while Perez settled for fourth and ran the fastest lap of the event.
A two-stop strategy from the Ferraris set up Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz for respective finishes of fifth and sixth.
Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso filled out positions seventh through ninth, in that order.
Lando Norris rebounded from a tire puncture on the opening lap for 10th and the final point position.
The intensified championship race moves on to round 19 of 22 with next weekend’s Ooredoo Qatar Grand Prix at Losail Int’l Circuit.
NOTES
Hamilton was hit with a €5,000 fine for undoing his seatbelts on the cool down lap following Sunday’s Formula 1 event at Interlagos.
The Mercedes driver stopped in front of a marshal to borrow a Brazilian flag for celebratory purposes as an act of accretion toward homeland fans. The stewards then placed Hamilton under investigation for violating the International Sporting Code rule regarding safety belts, which summoned the post-race hearing.
The finish:
Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Valterri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, George Russell, Antonio Giovinazzi, Yuki Giovinazzi, Yuki Tsunoda, Nicholas Latifi, Nikita Mazepin, Mick Schumacher, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll