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Lando Norris experienced a remarkable day at Interlagos, as he clinched victory in the sprint race from pole position, while his main championship contender, Oscar Piastri, crashed out. This triumph extended Norris’s advantage in the world championship standings, increasing his lead from a narrow one-point margin to a more comfortable nine points as they head into today’s qualifying for Sunday’s main event.
While it’s too soon to declare the sprint result as a championship decider, Norris certainly gained significant momentum. Adding to his advantage, Max Verstappen, another title rival, concluded the sprint in fourth place, trailing by 40 points with just 108 points still up for grabs.
The drama unfolded when Piastri’s McLaren hit trouble at the Senna Esses. His left wheel struck the kerb at Turn Three, causing him to lose control and crash into the barriers, marked with Aramco branding. Fortunately, Piastri emerged uninjured, although the incident dealt a severe blow to his dwindling title hopes.
Piastri, who had previously led Norris by 34 points at the end of August, was left to endure a frustrating ride back to the garage in the red medical car. His team now faces the task of repairing his car in time for qualifying. Fortunately, the damage appeared manageable, and they are optimistic about getting him back on track without major issues.
He climbed out unscathed physically but brutally bruised in his disappearing title challenge. The Australian, who led Norris by 34 points at the end of August, got into the back of the red medical car back to the garage, his mechanics with a remedial job to do to send him out in qualifying later. It should be OK; it did not look severely damaged.
Lando Norris’s victory in the sprint race has extended his championship lead to nine points
His rival Oscar Piastri crashed out of the race after skidding into the barrier after just six laps
A disappointed Piastri trudged into the back of a medical car after the blow to his title hopes
His psyche from weeks of batterings is another story all together. It is hard to see him prevail from here but three rounds remain, in Las Vegas, Qatar (plus a sprint race) and Abu Dhabi.
The race was red-flagged as the debris of Piastri’s car and those of Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg (who was able to continue after limping back to the garage) and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, who slithered off in almost carbon copy crashes at the same Turn 3, all within seconds of each other. Thankfully, they did not ricochet into each other by the wall. Colapinto’s impact was the heaviest.
The crowd cheered loudly, Brazilian-style, as they enjoyed the drama.
As for Norris, his smart start gave him clean air, no spray from others in his visor, and he was in control before the accidents brought a 24-minute delay to proceedings.
The collywobbles that have impaired the Brit at times are banished for now. He avoided another toughest test of his mettle because when the race roared off again it was – ludicrously, inexplicably – under a rolling start rather than a standing start.
The track was drying – drier than at the start – so this was an excess of caution from FIA officialdom. These are the best drivers in the world. They do not need to be mollycoddled. Let them race.
Not that a rolling start is without its challenges and a less than vigilant Norris might have been slipstreamed by Mercedes Kimi Antonelli, who started second, remained second, and finished second. George Russell was third in the other Silver Arrow.
Verstappen has not enjoyed his experience at Interlagos, where he produced the drive of his life in the wet last year. He is not comfortable in his Red Bull.
Max Verstappen struggled in Brazil and is looking continually uncomfortable in his Red Bull car
‘The car is just dancing everywhere,’ he complained. ‘Terrible. Can’t keep up.’
His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase rejoined: ‘We are going to get you through some recommendations at Turn One, it looks poor.’
‘No, it’s just wet,’ said Verstappen. ‘I have no grip. It’s not the balance.’
Norris held on as Antonelli kept on his tail, but he did not panic as the wind blew up, as the forecasters had promised.
‘It was tough,’ said Norris. ‘It makes the win a bit more rewarding when you have to work for it. Kimi did not make it easy. I had to push hard and I had a few sketchy moments. It was hard but you expect that in Brazil. We have work to do ahead of qualifying.’
The last major drama of the day saw Brazilian favourite Gabriel Bortoleto lose grip on the start straight at 180mph and spin into the wall and back across the track. It was a huge smash for the personable rookie but he walked into the safety car, to sighs of relief.