Max Verstappen had declared disconsolately that his world championship hopes should be forgotten as he went into the São Paulo Grand Prix. Yet after another masterclass in Brazil he defied the odds in taking third from a 19th-place start in the pit lane. It was an extraordinary drive, even as Lando Norris delivered a perfect weekend with a win at Interlagos and in so doing staked a claim to having one hand on the title.
Norris’s victory was without doubt that of a champion in waiting as he managed a tense and high‑pressure victory from pole position to extend his world championship lead over his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, who finished fifth. Norris gave a performance of precision and control exactly when it was required to put real daylight on his two title rivals.
