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F1 Rookie Ranks Lewis Hamilton's Brazil 2021 Win the Greatest Moment Ever

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 11:52 AM ET

F1 has turned 75 years old in 2025 and there are thousands of moments fans and drivers could choose from, but for one rising star on the grid, nothing beats Brazil 2021.

Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, F1 rookie Isack Hadjar was asked to name his favorite moment from all of F1 history. His response? Unfiltered and unforgettable.

“I’m going to be so controversial now. And I love it,” Hadjar grinned. “Brazil 2021. I’m a big Lewis fan. That was a BIG weekend. That was big. That was an amazing, amazing weekend.”

It’s a pick that still gives goosebumps to Hamilton fans. At the 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from qualifying, started the sprint race from the back, charged through the field to P5, then started the main race from P10 and still won the race with one of the greatest drives in modern F1 history.

That weekend, Hamilton pulled off 24 overtakes in total and reignited the title fight with Max Verstappen in spectacular fashion. The crowd in Interlagos erupted. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff slammed his headphones in celebration.

And Hamilton held the Brazilian flag on the podium in a Senna-esque moment that etched itself into the sport’s folklore.

Q: F1 is 75 years old in 2025. Is there a favourite moment that you have from all of F1 history?

Isack Hadjar: I'm going to be so controversial now. And I love it. Brazil 21. I'm a big Lewis fan. That was a BIG weekend. That was big. *laughs* That was amazing, amazing weekend. pic.twitter.com/rnLj8E8Fwg
— sim (@simsgazette) June 18, 2025

For Hadjar, it wasn’t just a win — it was a statement.

Now racing in F1 himself, the young French driver’s admiration for Hamilton is clear. And picking Brazil 2021 over decades of iconic races only underlines how that performance has become legend — not just for fans, but for the next generation of drivers.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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