2021 Sao Paulo GP Sprint Race: Full Report & Highlights

Interlagos delivered one of the defining moments of the 2021 F1 World Championship as Valtteri Bottas captured victory in the 2021 São Paulo Sprint, earning pole position for Sunday’s Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz. But the headline-grabber was Lewis Hamilton, who launched a mesmerising recovery from dead last on the grid to fifth, slicing through the field in a display that electrified the Brazilian crowd and reshaped the tone of the title fight.

Starting from P2 on soft tyres, Bottas detonated off the line with a dream launch that immediately put the medium-shod Verstappen under pressure. The Red Bull driver suffered wheelspin and went wide on the opening lap, losing second place to Sainz before reclaiming it with a measured counterattack soon after. Even as the Finn’s soft tyres began to fade, Bottas absorbed Verstappen’s late pressure and kept his composure, winning the 24-lap Sprint by 1.170s. Sainz completed the top three after fending off Sergio Pérez for the final point.

The drama of the Sprint, however, had started well before the formation lap. Verstappen was handed a €50,000 fine for touching and inspecting Hamilton’s rear wing in Parc Fermé on Friday, while Hamilton himself was disqualified from qualifying for a DRS infraction, dropping him from P1 to the back. Mercedes chose not to appeal, stating publicly that the championships must be won “on the race track.” With Verstappen leading the field, Bottas starting from second, Pérez in third, and Hamilton in P20 on mediums, the stage was set for a 24-lap showdown under the São Paulo sunset.

When the lights extinguished, Bottas capitalised instantly, sweeping into the lead as Sainz launched from P5 on used softs to ambush Verstappen at Turn 1. The Dutchman, hampered by a gear issue off the start, rejoined in third. Further back, Hamilton immediately got to work, climbing from P20 to P16 by the end of Lap 1 and taking P14 as Lap 2 began, demonstrating the monstrous pace of his fresh power unit.

Would the soft tyres survive until the finish? Bottas, now with a two-second cushion, could only hope. Verstappen, pushing relentlessly, dispatched Sainz for P2 at the end of Lap 3. At the same moment, Hamilton continued to carve his way through the pack, sailing past Yuki Tsunoda for P13 with DRS, then clearing Antonio Giovinazzi for P12. His charge was unmistakable: Hamilton and his new Mercedes engine were on a mission—although the looming five-place grid penalty for Sunday served as a sobering reminder of the battle ahead.

Hamilton’s relentless rise continued as he fought a multi-lap duel with Fernando Alonso from Lap 6 through Lap 8, eventually overpowering the Alpine down the main straight for P11. Daniel Ricciardo proved a tougher opponent, but Hamilton’s persistence paid off when he claimed P10 on Lap 13. From there, the moves came thick and fast: Sebastian Vettel on Lap 15, Esteban Ocon moments later, then Pierre Gasly as Hamilton surged into seventh before sizing up Charles Leclerc.

Turn 4 was Hamilton’s weapon of choice, and four laps before the finish he used it to take P6 from Leclerc. His final strike came on the last lap, braking deep into Turn 1 to snatch P5 from Lando Norris and complete one of the most remarkable 24-lap recoveries in recent F1 memory. “It’s not over yet,” Hamilton declared on the radio—a warning shot as much as a statement.

At the front, Sainz had to rely on dogged defence to seal third place. Pérez applied constant pressure but could not find a way past, getting within a car length into Turn 1 before falling short. Norris, meanwhile, pulled off a stunning move on Leclerc through the Senna S and into Turn 4 on Lap 9 to claim sixth, with the Ferrari driver ultimately finishing seventh.

Pierre Gasly, who had started fourth on fresh mediums, slipped to seventh early and later lost another place to Hamilton, finishing eighth overall. Esteban Ocon took ninth after a strong start on softs, while Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 10, holding Daniel Ricciardo behind. Alonso dropped from P9 to P12, losing ground through the stint.

Further back, Alfa Romeo teammates Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi clashed at Turn 1 on Lap 2, spinning the Finn around despite both running softs. Räikkönen recovered to P18 after passing both Haas drivers—Nikita Mazepin in P20 and Mick Schumacher in P19. Lance Stroll gained ground to finish 14th, ahead of Tsunoda, who lost three places despite starting on soft tyres. Williams teammates Nicholas Latifi and George Russell rounded out the places behind them, with Latifi maintaining his qualifying advantage from Friday.

Bottas’ victory gives him three valuable points and pole position for the São Paulo Grand Prix, with Verstappen joining him on the front row. Sainz starts third, Pérez fourth, and Hamilton—after his Sprint heroics—will begin Sunday’s race further down the grid thanks to his engine penalty. The title picture tightens once more as Interlagos sets the stage for another explosive showdown.

2021 Sao Paulo GP Sprint Race Results

2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Sprint Race, 13 November 2021