10 times an F1 driver won from the back of the grid as Verstappen and Hamilton start from rear in Brazil

Due to a raft of engine penalties, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will start from 20th and 21st respectively at today’s Sao Paulo GP in Brazil.

With rain forecast, the race is set to be a thriller, with two of F1’s biggest rivals having a showdown from the back of the grid.

Can they clinch the victory, and put on a performance like some of F1’s other greatest wins from the rear? We run through the top 10.

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The top 10 wins from furthest back in F1

10. Oliver Panis - 14th - 1996 Monaco GP

The Ligier team’s lead driver took his only career win at an action-packed Monaco race, keeping his head when others couldn’t.

Michael Schumacher crashed in wet conditions early on, while Damon Hill and Jean Alesi broke down.

If you’re only going to win once, you might as well do it at Monaco.

9. Fernando Alonso - 15th - 2008 Singapore GP

One of the most controversial F1 victories in the world championship's history.

Renault forced Alonso's teammate Nelson Piquet Jr to crash deliberately in order to manipulate race strategy, the upshot being that Alonso found himself in the lead of on a Marina Bay track which is very difficult to pass on.

The team was later found out after Piquet confessed, with Renault team boss Flavio Briatore and technical director Pat Symonds banned from F1 - but Alonso kept the win.

8. Jackie Stewart - 16th - 1973 South African GP

Flying Scotsman Jackie Stewart started way back in 16th due to mechanical issues for his Tyrrell in qualifying at Kyalami, but was the undisputed No1 on Sunday, finding himself in first by lap seven.

He was unchallenged from there, scoring another brilliant win in his third and final championship year.

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7. Michael Schumacher - 16th - 1995 Belgian GP

Michael Schumacher rarely had to do his winning from the back, but put on a masterclass at Spa-Francorchamps in 1995.

The German was peerless as he passed car after car, weathering a rain shower too to get into the lead by lap 16 of 44.

He would head a podium filled out by Damon Hill and Martin Brundle in what was one of his greatest wins.

6. John Watson - 17th - 1982 Detroit GP

The McLaren man would make a habit of winning from the rear of the grid, as this list will show below.

Watson struggled to get his tyres in the right window in qualifying at Detroit, putting him at the back, but found the sweet spot on race day to simply rocket past the rest.

He claimed the lead by overtaking Keke Rosberg just after the halfway mark and never looked back.

5. Kimi Raikkonen 17th - 2005 Japanese GP.

Peak Kimi Raikkonen. A rained-out qualifying session mixed up the grid, but the Finn was at one with his rapid if fragile MP4-20.

It stayed reliable at Suzuka in 2005 though, Raikkonen hunting down Renault’s Giancarlo Fisichella and overtaking him for the lead with a spectacular last-lap pass.

4. Max Verstappen - 17th - 2024 São Paulo GP

The Red Bull star has been massively successful in Brazil, with three wins at the circuit.

His greatest though, may have been in 2024, when he scythed through the field in wet conditions to win after starting 17th.

"Starting P17, I knew that it was going to be a very tough race but we stayed out of trouble, we made the right calls, we stayed calm and we were fine,” he said.

“All of these things together of course made that result possible. I mean, unbelievable to win here from so far back."

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3. Rubens Barrichello - 18th - 2000 German GP

‘Rubinho’ had come so close to gaining a first win since starting his F1 career in 1993, his career up to this point a tale of unfulfilled potential.

At the 2000 German GP though, he was in a class of one. His Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher went out at the first corner after colliding with Benetton’s Giancarlo Fisichella.

Using the long straights of Hockenheim, Barrichello slipstreamed his way through the field, up third when it began to rain late on.

The Brazilian risked it all by staying out on his dry tyres, inheriting the lead as a result.

Barrichello would cling on for a famous first win from 19th.

2. Kimi Antonelli - 19th - 2026 Italian GP

Engine penalties put Kimi Antonelli well back at Monza, but this year’s class of the field saw it as no problem.

The Italian slipstreamed past his rivals at an incredible rate, then used a two-stop strategy to pip shellshocked Mercedes teammate George Russell right at the end.

“Today, there was nothing that would have stopped him,” said his team boss Toto Wolff afterwards.

1. John Watson - 22nd - 1984 United States Grand Prix West

‘Wattie’ became famous for his charges from the back of the grid, and he saved his best for the streets of Long Beach.

A botched qualifying session saw him start way back in 22nd for McLaren, but it was a different story on race day.

His Michelin tyres, which McLaren couldn’t get to warm up in qualifying, came to life in the race when the car was heavy with fuel.

Watson and teammate Niki Lauda cut through the field with ease. The Northern Irishman took the lead on lap 45 of 75 for his greatest win.