Super Max Shines Again

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After getting knocked out in a rainy Q2 and serving a five-place engine penalty, Max Verstappen lined up 17th for the Grand Prix. In a drive for the ages, Verstappen powered through the field and received a free pit stop thanks to a well-timed red flag en route to an improbable victory at Interlagos. He became the first driver to win at this circuit from outside the top 10, became the first driver since Kimi Raikkonen in 2005 to win a race from P17, and took the all time lead with wins from ten different grid spots.

His domination of the Grand Prix included 10 overtakes while gaining 16 places. For his efforts, Max received his first Driver of the Day award since the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix. Verstappen posted not only the Fastest Lap but the nine fastest laps recorded in the race.

All told, Verstappen ended the weekend with an astounding 77 fantasy points and set a new F1 Fantasy record for points scored by a driver in a single race weekend. He extended his championship lead over Lando Norris and provided fans with a performance for the ages in the process.

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Hulkenberg's Weekend to Forget

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Entering the weekend as one of the most popular midfield drivers for his overtakes and price gain potential, Nico Hulkenberg delivered the worst performance in F1 Fantasy history. The Haas veteran retired due to a gearbox problem in the Sprint, qualified for the Grand Prix P19, and received a rare black flag disqualification after receiving assistance onto the track by the race marshals following a spinoff. This marked the first in-race disqualification since 2007 and earned Hulkenberg the harshest penalty in F1 Fantasy.

Hulkenberg's weekend ended with disappointment and a whopping -41 fantasy points, the lowest score ever recorded. Considering he also logged -32 points at Monaco, Hulkenberg caused plenty of heartache this year.

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Unlikely Double Podium for Alpine

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Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, notorious for their longstanding rivalry documented in the most recent season of Drive to Survive, embraced on the podium as Alpine took P2 and P3. The result shocked many since neither driver finished in the top eight over the first 20 races of the season. It marked the first double-Enstone podium in 11 years and the first double-French podium since 1997.

Ocon scored a season-high 36 points, more than his previous five races combined. He also received the coveted $1.5M price increase, tying the record for most value gained in a single weekend.

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Other Oddities

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So many other strange events took place at Brazil that it warrants its own section!

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• Sauber, who recorded pit stops of 20.20 and 31.18 seconds earlier this season, set the DHL Fastest Pit Stop at 2.52 seconds.

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• Alex Albon Did Not Start the Grand Prix after so much sustaining damage in the morning Qualifying session that Williams were unable to repair his car before the Formation Lap.

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• Speaking of the Formation Lap, Lance Stroll slipped into the runoff area and drove directly into the gravel as he attempted to return to the circuit. His day ended before it even began.

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Many fantasy strategists learned a difficult lesson: if you see rain in the forecast at Interlagos, avoid the 3X DRS Boost and let the No Negative chip save the day.