SAO PAULO — McLaren driver Lando Norris considerably prolonged his lead within the F1 championship after successful the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, along with his major rival and teammate Oscar Piastri receiving a 10-second penalty and once more failing to make the rostrum.
Norris, who additionally gained Saturday’s dash race and began from pole place, earned his first win at Interlagos with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen second and third, respectively.
Norris, who additionally gained the Mexican Grand Prix on Oct. 26, now has 390 factors within the standings, with Piastri’s fifth place leaving him 24 factors behind on 366 with three extra races to go. Norris had led the Australian by one level in the beginning of the weekend and elevated that result in 9 factors after the dash race.
At a press convention after the race, Norris mentioned that he would not really feel he’s now in a commanding place to win the title, calling it “simply one other weekend making an attempt to win, get probably the most factors I may.”
Piastri has struggled recently; he’s now winless in six races and has not reached the rostrum since Monza in Italy two months in the past when he completed third.
4-time world champion Verstappen has 341 factors in third place general and has performed down his title probabilities.
It was a irritating weekend for Ferrari drivers. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton each didn’t completed the race in Sao Paulo.
“It’s a nightmare,” Hamilton advised Sky Sports activities. “It’s a flip between the dream of driving for this superb crew after which the nightmare of the outcomes.”
Norris gained his seventh race of the season, the identical quantity as Piastri. Requested after the race how he managed to bounce again within the championship, Norris replied: “Simply ignore everybody who talked crap about you.”
He added, “Nonetheless an extended strategy to go (within the drivers’ championship), this might change so rapidly.”
Piastri’s probabilities have been harm shortly after lap 8, when he made contact with Antonelli as they fought for second place. Piastri pushed the Mercedes driver into Leclerc, who was compelled to retire consequently. Piastri, who began the race in fourth spot, later acquired his time penalty for inflicting the collision.
“In my view, I had a really clear alternative within the inside,” mentioned Piastri, who argued he could not have gone anyplace else when the contact occurred. “I can’t simply disappear.”
The following Grand Prix is in Las Vegas in two weeks’ time. Norris mentioned he’s not assured he and McLaren will compete for a win there.
“It was our worst race final yr. I am unable to say I’m wanting ahead to it,” Norris mentioned.
The 25-year-old Englishman devoted his win to Indianapolis 500 winner and Brazilian icon Gil de Ferran , who died in 2023.
“This one was for Gil, certainly one of my mentors … This one was for him. I’m certain he’d be very pleased with all of it,” Norris mentioned. “I used to be pondering of that whereas driving. An ideal weekend.”
Verstappen, who additionally has an extended shot on the drivers’ title, completed on the rostrum from the pit lane. He was supposed to start out from sixteenth place after a irritating qualifying session, however his crew made sweeping adjustments to his automotive, together with a brand new engine. The crew’s transfer ultimately paid off.
“To be within the podium from the pit lane, I didn’t anticipate that in any respect. Even much less after a puncture in the beginning,” mentioned Verstappen, who gained final yr’s race ranging from seventeenth .
A relaxed Verstappen poured Champagne over Antonelli on the rostrum. The 19-year-old Antonelli had the perfect results of his profession after a battle with the Dutchman on the ultimate lap to maintain his place.
“I do not know the place this man got here from,” the Italian jokingly mentioned after the race.
Brazilian followers at Interlagos have been annoyed from lap one, when Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto crashed out in what appeared to be a promising outing after he overtook three rivals in fast succession.
The 21-year-old F1 rookie was the primary Brazilian to race in entrance of residence followers since Felipe Massa in 2017.
