Back in Brazil: How will Verstappen win this time?

The upcoming race in Brazil has the same atmosphere as the last race in Mexico. Neither circuit was on the calendar in 2020, but for both, Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen are the favorites. We look back at the past race of 2019.

Undercut Hamilton with the help of Kubica

Verstappen won a magisterial race in 2019 and took his oath against Esteban Ocon, who snatched the win from him a year before. From pole position, Verstappen shot away like an arrow from Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel last race in 2019.

At the first pit stop, things got interesting for the Dutchman. Hamilton went for the undercut. The lap after, Verstappen went for new tires. The undercut of Hamilton seemed to fail due to the lightning fast pit stop of 1.9 seconds. It was only Robert Kubica who blocked Verstappen on his way out of the pitlane, so Hamilton's plan succeeded.

Fast pitstops

Verstappen was lightning fast and was able to overtake Hamilton on the track in the Senna S turns. The race was an exciting two-stopper, with Hamilton again going for the undercut. Again, Red Bull managed a 1.9 stop. The undercut therefore did not work this time.

Such an exciting battle between Hamilton and Verstappen as in 2019 would be even more exciting in 2021. At the start of the final stage, Valtteri Bottas crashed out and a safety car followed. Verstappen decided to go in for a third time, while Hamilton remained outside.

Hamilton leads after the restart, but Verstappen manages to overtake the champion again in the Senna S, this time going around the outside. More spectacle unfolds in the closing stages of the race when Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel crash and cause a second safety car, in which Hamilton does come in for new tyres.

Crazy final sprint

Hamilton had to come forward from P4 at the restart, which meant Verstappen was fairly certain of his victory. Behind him, however, was a fierce battle between Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly and Hamilton.

Verstappen remained completely out of the fray and crossed the line first in his Red Bull. Hamilton pushed Albon off the track and could not get past Gasly's Toro Rosso in the final sprint. Hamilton finished outside the podium due to a penalty.