While we wait for the 2026 season to start, a quick look back at five Verstappen overtakes that I find myself rewatching every time the racing gets boring.

1. Brazil 2016 — half the field in the rain#

Sixteen-year-old Max in a Toro Rosso … no, wait, this was 2016 and he was already at Red Bull. The wet race at Interlagos. He started 4th, dropped to 16th after a hairy moment, then carved back up to 3rd in the closing laps. The overtake on Vettel through the senna esses was peak commitment in conditions where most drivers were just trying to stay on.

2. Austin 2018 — the move on Bottas around the outside of turn 19#

Most drivers don’t even attempt outside-line passes at COTA’s turn 19, because the runoff is unforgiving and the entry speed is high. Max went around the outside of Bottas like the Mercedes wasn’t there. People still talk about this one.

3. Hungary 2019 — Pole and a charge from a hard tyre#

Started on pole. Got jumped by Hamilton in a one-stop strategy. Hard tyre at the end, Hamilton on softs, and Max defended through 19 laps before being passed in the final two laps. Lost the race but won the respect — defending against a faster car for that long takes precision and confidence.

4. Imola 2021 — undercutting Hamilton at the start#

The launch was perfect, the inside line into Tamburello was committed, and the wheel-banging through Villeneuve was textbook hard-but-fair racing. This race won Verstappen the championship momentum that carried him through the rest of 2021.

5. Japan 2022 — wet-weather championship-clincher#

Disorienting weather. Half-wet conditions. Max picked his lines through standing water that would terrify most drivers, won the race, and clinched his second championship. The drive from P3 in mixed conditions back to win was the most underappreciated drive of his career.

Honorable mentions#

Spa 2022 (P14 to win), São Paulo 2022 (overtaking Hamilton through Senna esses on the same lap), Monaco 2024 (the only Monaco win that wasn’t decided in qualifying alone).