Hamilton's epic comeback (2021)

Lewis Hamilton delivered not one but two incredible comebacks throughout the 2021 Sao Paulo GP weekend. After qualifying on pole for the Sprint, Hamilton was disqualified for a DRS rule violation and had to start at the back of the grid but managed to overtake 15 drivers to secure fifth place.

As it was still the old format, the sprint race finishing order was the starting grid for Sunday’s race. However, for that Hamilton received an additional five-place grid penalty because Mercedes installed a new engine component in the car.

Despite the second overtaking challenge of the weekend, the Briton made a strong start, quickly moving up to 7th and then passing drivers like Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

As he battled for the lead with Max Verstappen, a late safety car allowed him to close the gap. After the restart, Hamilton executed a bold move to overtake Verstappen and won the race, keeping his championship hopes alive in a thrilling finish.

The seven-time world champion himself referred to the race as the ‘most special one of his career’.

Gasly’s and Hamilton’s photo finish (2019)

The 2019 Sao Paulo Grand Prix featured an exciting battle for second place between Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton.

For the main race, the Briton qualified in 5th, while Gasly started in 6th but later they found themselves in a battle for second place in the closing laps.

Gasly, who was eager to prove his worth after being demoted from Red Bull earlier in the season, aimed for his first-ever podium finish against the most successful driver of F1 history.

As they crossed the finish line, Gasly narrowly edged out Hamilton by just 0.062 seconds, securing his first podium in Formula 1. The moment was so close that it required a careful review to determine the final positions, making it even more exciting.

George Russell's maiden F1 victory (2022)

George Russell celebrated his first F1 victory at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix in style, marking a big moment for both him and Mercedes.

This win not only gave Russell his first taste of victory in Formula 1 but also represented Mercedes' first win and one-two finish of the season, with Lewis Hamilton finishing second.

The race started with Russell leading Hamilton, thanks to their strong performance in the Sprint Qualifying and Sainz’s five-place grid penalty. However, things got chaotic quickly when the Safety Car was deployed after Daniel Ricciardo and Kevin Magnussen collided at Turn 8, taking both cars out of the race.

When the race resumed, Hamilton suffered a collision with Max Verstappen but recovered well and moved back into second place behind Russell.

As the race went on, a late incident with Norris brought out a Virtual Safety Car that turned into a full Safety Car on Lap 52. During the restart on Lap 60, Russell held his ground against Hamilton and crossed the finish line first, winning by 1.5 seconds.

Ferrari double collision (2019)

The 2019 Sao Paulo Grand Prix saw a dramatic clash between Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel, who started second and fourth, respectively, both aiming for a strong finish.

On Lap 66, as they raced towards Turn 1, Leclerc was defending his position while Vettel attempted to overtake. Their cars made contact, causing both to spin off the track and retire from the race. 

Both drivers were frustrated afterward, with Leclerc feeling he had the right to defend and Vettel upset about missing out on points. The incident received a lot of media attention, showing the growing tension between the two teammates.