Max Verstappen is sprayed by champagne by Lewis Hamilton
The two drivers are just four points apart in their race for the title
Yuri Kochetkov – Pool/Getty Images
  • Red Bull's Max Verstappen came from the very back of the grid to finish second at the Russian Grand Prix.
  • The Dutchman started from last due to an engine change, but benefited from a late pit stop.
  • Chaos elsewhere in the race meant that Verstappen's incredible drive seems to have gone unnoticed.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen came from last on the grid to finish second and ensure F1's tightest title race in years continued.

The Dutchman started the weekend by taking a fourth new power unit of the season, resulting in a penalty that pushed him to the back of the grid, but with a quicker car, Verstappen was able to overtake the back of the field and was soon in the top 10.

As the drivers neared the end, it looked as if Verstappen would have to settle for a seventh-placed finish but when rain hit, he and his Red Bull team capitalized and switched to tires designed for the worse conditions.

Max Verstappen drives in the wet at the Russian Grand Prix
Verstappen capitalized on the wet conditions
Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

The 23-year-old was then able to climb up to second, overtaking everyone except his title rival Lewis Hamilton who won the race following a mistake from McLaren's Lando Norris.

"I'm super happy of course to be second. If you would have told me this morning that I would come second today, I wouldn't believe you. But luckily the call to go from the slicks to the inters [intermediate tyres] was the perfect one I think [so] super pleased for this.

"To basically go from seventh to second for us was an amazing result," Verstappen said after the race.

Verstappen's drive was undoubtedly one of the most impressive of the season, but thanks to the chaotic scenes at the end of the race, it seems to have gone largely unnoticed.

Hamilton goes back to the top

Verstappen's podium finish, while impressive, means that Hamilton has retaken the lead at the top of the driver's championship, albeit by only two points.

With several races which suit the Red Bull car better than the Mercedes coming up, Verstappen remains favorite to unseat Hamilton as F1 champion with seven races to go.

"It could of course have been a lot worse in terms of how many points I would lose," Verstappen said after the race.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton
There are seven races left of the season
Andy Hone - Pool/Getty Images

"And especially also with the conditions, it's already very hard to pass. But then also today because of track conditions and whatever, the tyres were graining a lot, so you also couldn't really push or stay close to someone.

"All in all, to come away with second here was, of course, very important."

Hamilton described it as a "dream result" for his opponent.

"There's nothing I can do about who is behind me. That's a dream result for Max, naturally, but I'm grateful for the points," he said.

The two contenders will next battle it out at the Turkish Grand Prix on October 10.

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