Norris Tightens Grip on Title as Verstappen Produces Miracle Drive in Drama-Filled 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix

On Sunday 9 November, the São Paulo Grand Prix delivered 71 laps of drama at the renowned Interlagos circuit. With McLaren already crowned Constructors’ Champions, the focus at this stage of the F1 season has shifted to the battle for the Drivers’ Championship.

After Lando Norris’ commanding victory here in Brazil, combined with Max Verstappen’s astonishing charge through the field, the title picture has sharpened into a three-way duel. George Russell’s inability to finish ahead of either McLaren has mathematically ended his hopes, leaving Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Verstappen as the remaining contenders.

Norris Takes Control

Lando Norris converted his pole position into yet another composed and clinical win, marking his second consecutive win and seventh overall this year. Calling it a “perfect weekend,” the Brit navigated the opening lap turmoil with composure. A safety car was deployed after Bortoleto suffered a crushing exit in front of his home crowd at Turn Nine, and shortly after the race resumed, a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was triggered when Piastri locked up and collided with both Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc, leading to the Ferrari driver’s elimination.

From that point on, Norris dictated the tempo with a well-executed two-stop strategy, extending his advantage over his teammate Piastri to 24 points. With only Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi left on the 2025 calendar, his inaugural world title is now very much within reach.

Verstappen’s Masterclass

Max Verstappen produced one of the standout drives of his career, stealing much of the show in Brazil. He began from the pit lane after Red Bull repaired his troubled RB21 car and installed a fresh power unit, but in typical Verstappen style, the defending Drivers’ champion surged from sixteenth to thirteenth in just seven laps. A perfectly timed stop under the VSC kept the Dutchman in the mix, and a combination of relentless overtaking, razor-sharp tyre management, and raw pace was vintage Verstappen. His sweeping move around the outside of Russell into turn one was arguably the highlight of the race. During the final laps, the 28-year-old closed in rapidly on Antonelli before ultimately settling for a sensational P3.

To climb onto the podium finish after starting from the pits, particularly after suffering an early puncture, was almost believable, and as Verstappen himself stated, was an “incredible result.” With 49 points separating him from Norris, Verstappen’s championship aspirations remain slim, but they are still alive.

Antonelli Shines as Piastri Stumbles

Kimi Antonelli delivered his finest Formula 1 performance to date, displaying maturity beyond his years as he resisted heavy pressure from Verstappen to secure a brilliant P2. The Mercedes rookie is increasingly proving he belongs at the sharp end of the grid and is shaping up to be a major threat heading into 2026. Piastri, on the other hand, endured another bruising afternoon. Ruled fully at fault for eliminating Leclerc and tipping Antonelli wide during the safety car restart, the Australian received a 10-second penalty. Although he recovered to fifth and challenged Russell late on, the damage had already been done. While he is still in contention for the title, Piastri has not finished ahead of Norris since August, which is an ominous trend as the season draws to a close and indicates that his chances of taking the victory are dwindling.

The Rest of the Grid

Behind the podium finishers, Russell took fourth after fading from his strong launch, with Piastri slotting into fifth. Haas’ Oliver Bearman showcased his skills once more, securing sixth with a tidy drive. Both Racing Bulls delivered solid points, with Liam Lawson taking seventh, followed by his teammate Isack Hadjar in eighth, while Hülkenberg and Gasly rounded out the points scorers. Outside the top ten, Albon, Ocon, Sainz, Alonso, Colapinto, and Stroll followed, with Tsunoda being the final classified finisher.

Ferrari, meanwhile, faced a disastrous outing. Leclerc suffered terminal suspension damage after being struck by Antonelli during the safety car restart, while Hamilton retired due to severe handling issues stemming from early contact with Alpine’s Colapinto that damaged his front wing and floor. With both Ferraris alongside Kick Sauber’s Bortoleto retiring and leaving Brazil empty-handed, all three drivers will be eager to move on from a forgettable Grand Prix.

The Road to Vegas

With just three races remaining, Norris leads the Drivers’ standings on 390 points, Piastri remains within reach on 366, and four-time champion Verstappen sits on 341 after his extraordinary recovery drive. The title battle now moves under the neon glow of Las Vegas, where Verstappen’s championship hopes undeniably hinge on misfortune for the McLaren duo. But his chances are far from extinguished.