Image source, Getty Images

Well that was an epic. It was frustrating at times but the 2016 Brazilian GP ultimately delivered in a big, big way.

When we all sat down to watch today there were only two men, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, in our thoughts. It was going to take something exceptional to remove them from top billing - and that's exactly what we got. 

Max Verstappen's performance was right out of the top drawer, earning deserved comparison with storied wet-weather drives by Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Hamilton. And as for that save following his half-spin on the pit straight? Well, that will be replayed for years.

Verstappen's heroics have unfairly taken the spotlight off Hamilton, who was also superb throughout and a dominant winner over team-mate Rosberg, whose wait for a maiden world title goes on.

We'll be back with you for the final race in Abu Dhabi in a fortnight, when we will finally learn the destiny of the 2016 world title. 

See you then.

There is some great graffiti at the Interlagos track, with a wall of champions (see top video) and an artists impression of the race for the drivers' championship (see bottom video).

That race still has one final act to play out. In two weeks' time comes the last race of the season - the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where either Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton will win the 2016 world title.

BBC Radio 5 live

Niki Lauda was furious with the decision to stop the race for a second time, as he told BBC Radio 5 live in an excellent interview.

Listen to the clip here.

Listen to BBC Radio 5 live commentary as Red Bull's Max Verstappen moves up to third with a brave move to overtake Sergio Perez.

Mark Gallagher
BBC Radio 5 live Formula 1 analyst

Felipe Massa has been talking about his emotional final Brazilian Grand Prix, which saw him crash before he received a great reaction from the home fans as he walked back to the pits.

"It is so difficult to explain the feeling, this is such a special place for me," Massa tells Sky Sports.

"God knows what to do. Just stopping in that place, the feeling from the people was so special.

"I just say 'thank you' to everyone. It is an honour to be part of this world and it is difficult to explain the feeling. It was not the right result, but I will never forget this day, all of these people will be in my heart for the rest of my life."

Image source, Reuters

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has been giving his views on Max Verstappen's performance and the move where the Dutchman narrowly avoiding crashing after spinning.

"It is one of the best drives I've seen in Formula 1, his recovery was amazing," Horner tells Sky Sports. "We gave it a go on the intermediates, it was the kind of call that could have won him the race, but the rain got heavier.

"We put him on extreme wets and said let's go for it. From the moment he got going after that restart he was determined to get on that podium. He was looking for the grip, he has done a lot of karting and was using that experience and those lines.

"He was absolutely fearless in pretty horrific conditions. It was an amazing drive and he deserved that podium and the reaction from the crowd."

Jos Verstappen, Max's father, started in 106 Formula 1 races and even he was astounded by his son's performance.

"I have never seen something like this, he has surprised even me," Jos told Sky Sports. "I have seen many races he did, but today it was incredible. He did himself proud today. It is what we want to see more of in F1."

More from race winner Lewis Hamilton, who is 12 points behind Nico Rosberg with one race to go.

"I'm hunting, and all I can do is do what I am doing," says Hamilton. "The team have given me a great car and finally the reliability has been good. Right now I'm just living in the moment.

"This was my dream when I was five or six watching Ayrton (Senna) race. This is one of my easier races. I didn't have any spins, any moments. It was pretty straightforward."

That win was Lewis Hamilton's 52nd in F1, relegating Alain Prost to third on the all-time list. 

I remember when I was a nipper looking at 51 wins for Prost and thinking "that won't be beaten".

Well, Michael Schumacher's 91 wins emphatically proved me wrong on that one - and now Hamilton has surpassed the four-time champion too.

Bravo, that man.

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who came third, said: "It was an incredible race, with red flags and difficult conditions, especially on the main straight."

On the incident where he spun and nearly crashed, he said: "Maybe I clipped the kerb, locked all four wheels and managed to keep it out of the rail. After that I was 15th, 14th, I don't know where I was and had some great overtakes to get on to the podium.

"I couldn't see when I was behind them, so I had to take a different line."

Image source, Getty Images

Race winner Lewis Hamilton says: "I want to say a big thank you to the fans, that was a long, late race.

"I appreciate all the support and the fans are so welcoming to us. I was generally just chilling up front, when it rains it is usually a good day for me.

"A big thank you to my team, we are creating history. It is just incredible and I am so proud to be part of it. No mistakes, no dramas, no spins, it was interesting to hear how many spins there were behind me."

Image source, AFP

Nico Rosberg P2: "It didn't go my way, Lewis did a great job. It was very difficult conditions but I can live with second place today."

On Verstappen's amazing half-spin: "I arrived in the straight and saw him pointing 90 degrees towards the wall - I was thinking, 'what the hell?!'"

On race control's decision to twice red-flag the race: "It was on the limit but they got it right, They did a good job judging it."

Image source, Getty Images

Podium interviewer Martin Brundle says he "has to shake the hand" of Max Verstappen after that drive. 

Brundle has been in this game a long time and I'm sure he knows a special talent when he sees one. And he truly rates this guy.

C L i N T: I tell you what, Max Verstappen deserves a world championship before Nico Rosberg.

John Service: Absolutely incredible drive from Max Verstappen at the #BrazilGP, external. From 14th to 3rd in just a handful of laps. Breathtaking stuff.

Image source, AFP

Andrew Benson's report is being compiled by the BBC F1 elves. It's here for your reading pleasure.