Lando Norris took a major step toward clinching the world championship by delivering a dominant performance at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, securing a decisive victory. Oscar Piastri, who once led the standings, finished fifth after receiving a 10-second penalty that hampered his race.
Norris crossed the finish line at Interlagos 10.3 seconds ahead of runner-up Kimi Antonelli. Max Verstappen impressed by climbing from second-to-last on the grid to claim third place, showcasing his relentless racecraft.
With this result, Norris now holds a 24-point advantage over Piastri in the championship, while Verstappen trails by 49 points. With only 83 points remaining across the final three races, Norris is firmly in control of the title race.
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George Russell finished just ahead of Piastri in fourth place, while Lewis Hamilton’s weekend ended prematurely due to a collision with Franco Colapinto on lap one, forcing him to retire with car damage.
Norris’ championship hopes looked in jeopardy after a mechanical failure at Zandvoort in August left him trailing Piastri by 34 points. However, a dramatic 58-point swing over the next six rounds has reversed fortune, placing Norris in an excellent position heading into the final races in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
Mathematically, Norris can finish second to Piastri in all remaining events, including the Qatar sprint race, and still claim the championship.
Continuing his momentum from a strong pole position and sprint race win in Mexico City, Norris dominated in Sao Paulo. On Saturday, he secured pole and then converted it into a commanding sprint race victory. On Sunday, he launched cleanly off the line and held off Antonelli’s advances through the opening corners, maintaining control even during the rolling restart after a crash on lap six.
The race’s pivotal moment came when Piastri, running fourth, tangled wheels with Antonelli during the safety car restart. The contact forced Antonelli into Leclerc, ending Leclerc’s race due to suspension damage. Piastri, who claimed the move was forced, was penalized 10 seconds and dropped to eighth after serving the penalty during his pit stop, ultimately recovering only to fifth place.
Verstappen, who qualified 16th after a last-minute engine replacement forced him to start from the pit lane, defied expectations with a masterful performance. Despite having to pit twice—including a late stop for soft tires—Verstappen fought through the field, briefly led the race on lap 51, and finished just behind Antonelli.
Trying to wrest second place from Antonelli in the closing laps, Verstappen was narrowly denied by the Italian teenager’s resolute defense.
As the season approaches its finale, Norris’ composed and commanding runs have shifted the championship momentum decisively in his favor.