Max Verstappen victory takes the spoils from sensational hat-trick

Max Verstappen's 2024 charge from 17th to victory at Interlagos has been crowned as the best of his three remarkable São Paulo Grand Prix recoveries over the past three years.

Verstappen's drive that year came after a five-place grid penalty for a sixth internal combustion engine dropped him from a provisional 12th to 17th on the grid, following a red-flagged, rain-hit qualifying session.

The Red Bull driver then gambled by staying out under a virtual safety car in heavy rain, benefited from a free tyre change when the race was red-flagged, and overtook Esteban Ocon into Turn 1 at the restart to complete the win.

It was a performance that earned a whopping 60.5% of your vote in a RacingNews365 poll.

This year's recovery from 21st to second finished runner-up in the poll, taking 29.2 per cent.

Verstappen started at the back after Red Bull fitted a fifth power unit, turbocharger and exhaust, triggering an automatic 30-place penalty.

The four-time F1 champion made up eight positions on a wet opening lap, picked off Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri and Alex Albon, and was waved through by teammate Isack Hadjar for second place around mid-distance.

Last year's pit lane-to-third finish trailed in third place with 10.3 per cent.

That drive followed a shock Q1 exit and a strategic breach of parc fermé rules that forced Red Bull to start him from the pit lane. 

Verstappen recovered from an early puncture, used safety car restarts to close the gap to the leaders, switched to fresh soft tyres late on, and passed George Russell with eight laps remaining to claim the final podium spot.

Three different penalties, three different routes to the front, but only one winner in the eyes of RacingNews365 readers.