From 21st to Second: How Verstappen Climbed Through Interlagos

Max Verstappen finished second at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after starting 21st, a recovery that would stand out at any circuit. Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok has taken a closer look at how it happened, using the SkyPad breakdown to show where the positions were won.

Interlagos is not an easy place to pass. The lap is short and the track is bumpy, and the braking zones and the long run toward the start-finish area give drivers a few clear chances to make a move. A car starting near the back has to find pace, use the right moments and avoid trouble in traffic, and every one of those places has to be earned against drivers who know the circuit well.

What makes a SkyPad analysis useful is the detail behind the headline. Rather than focusing only on the final position, it looks at the sequence of gains through the race, separating the moves made on track from the changes that came through strategy and the chaos of a busy field. That is the view that tells fans whether a result came from raw speed, from good calls, or from a combination of both.

For Verstappen, the story is less about one overtake than about a steady run of progress through the order. Chandhok's breakdown is the best way to see how that progress added up, and it gives a clearer picture of the race than the grid position and final result can offer alone.