Max Verstappen reveals Brazilian flag helmet for Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Max Verstappen will wear a special helmet featuring the colors of the Brazilian flag at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver chose the design to honor his connection to Nelson Piquet and his friend Gabriel Bortoleto while seeking his fourth victory at the circuit.
Personal ties and track history
Max Verstappen will race in the colours of Brazil at this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix after he revealed a special helmet. The Red Bull driver replaces his usual red, white, and blue with the green, yellow, and blue of the Brazilian flag. He shared the design on Instagram with the caption, "Bringing some samba to Sao Paulo." This design follows a previous Sao Paulo helmet where he added gold and green accents to his lion motif. Verstappen has several reasons for the tribute because his partner, Kelly Piquet, is the daughter of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, and he counts Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto as a close friend. The circuit has provided some of the most memorable moments of his career. In 2016, during only his second season in F1, he finished third in the wet despite being 16th with 16 laps to go, and the performance showed the world what he was capable of. He has since won at the circuit three times, specifically in 2019, 2023, and 2024.
Competition and race weekend details
In 2024, Verstappen started 17th in heavy rain and won for the first time in months, which moved him much closer to his fourth world title. This victory is often regarded as one of the greatest drives of his career. Last year, he started from the pitlane and finished third, which was less than half a second behind Kimi Antonelli in second. Verstappen enters this weekend in good form after he won in Mexico last weekend to take his sixth victory in that race. While Kimi Antonelli has already clinched the championship, he will wear a special helmet as a tribute to Ayrton Senna. Both Antonelli and George Russell will also wear purple suits for Mercedes throughout the entire weekend. This visit comes as Verstappen seeks another strong result at a track where he has won in 2019, 2023, and 2024. He aims to add to his three victories at the circuit as the racing season enters its final rounds in 2026. This comes after his win in Mexico, which marked his sixth win at that specific venue. The driver will look to replicate his past success in Brazil during this weekend’s event.
