In 2017, after the Brazilian Grand Prix, a Mercedes F1 Grand Prix team minibus full of team members leaving the F1 Circuit in Sao Paulo was robbed at gunpoint. Valuables were stolen from the minibus during the attack. The robbery occurred after the minibus left the circuit that evening en route to the team hotel. Just 48 hours later, a Pirelli Team car was subject to an attempted armed robbery near the same location.

This was not an unprecedented Grand Prix incident. In 2010 former McLaren driver Jenson Button was the victim of an attempted armed attack when his vehicle was threatened at gunpoint as he left the circuit. Through aggressive evasive maneuvers by his driver, Button was able to escape unharmed. In 2007, a Toyota team bus was also held up in a similar area of Sao Paulo.