Lewis Hamilton has made a remarkable start to the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, gaining nine positions on the opening lap to move from 20th on the grid to 11th. The Ferrari driver immediately began recovering from his difficult starting position at Interlagos, putting himself within striking distance of the points after just one lap of the 71-lap race.
It was precisely the kind of opening Hamilton needed after being forced to begin the Grand Prix towards the back of the field. Rather than spending the early stages trapped among the cars behind him, the seven-time world champion made rapid progress through the order, climbing ahead of several rivals before the end of the first lap.
Lewis Hamilton gains nine places on opening lap of Brazilian GP
Starting 20th meant Lewis Hamilton faced a demanding afternoon, with a substantial amount of traffic separating him from the points-paying positions. However, the Ferrari driver’s opening lap dramatically reduced that disadvantage.
By the end of Lap 1, Hamilton was already running 11th, an improvement of nine places from his starting position. The rapid progression brought him close to the top ten almost immediately, creating an opportunity to continue his recovery as the race developed.
Among the drivers now behind the Ferrari was Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin driver had started eighth but lost ground during the opening lap, allowing Hamilton to move ahead of him in the running order.
The contrast between their starting positions was considerable. Alonso had begun the race 12 places ahead of Hamilton, yet the Ferrari driver was already running in front of him after the first tour of Interlagos.
Ferrari recovery begins as Brazilian GP lead changes immediately
Hamilton’s impressive progress came during a dramatic opening lap at the front of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli made an excellent getaway for Mercedes, immediately taking the lead from polesitter Lando Norris. The McLaren driver then came under further pressure from Liam Lawson, who attacked down the inside at Turn 2 and moved into second place for Racing Bulls.
While the leading positions were changing hands, Hamilton was making his own significant advance through the field. His progress from 20th to 11th was one of the most notable changes in position during the opening lap.
Lewis Hamilton immediately puts Ferrari back in contention for points
For Ferrari, the opening-lap recovery represents an encouraging start to what had appeared likely to be a challenging race for Hamilton. Beginning from 20th left the Briton with considerable ground to recover, but gaining nine positions so quickly has substantially improved his early track position.
Nevertheless, reaching 11th is only the beginning of the recovery. Hamilton still needs to gain another position to enter the top ten, and the opening-lap progress alone does not guarantee a points finish.
The immediate significance is clear: after just one of the scheduled 71 laps, Hamilton has already moved past much of the traffic that stood between him and the points. Ferrari will now hope the seven-time world champion can build on that start and continue climbing the order at Interlagos.
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