Max primed as McLaren duel resumes

Formula One champion Max Verstappen showed in Brazil last year, winning from 17th on the grid, that he can never be counted out but McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri need no reminding of that in Sao Paulo this weekend.

- 

The battle at the top between Norris and Piastri is on a knife-edge with four rounds remaining, with the Briton a point clear of the Australian.

Norris has momentum, despite insisting he does not believe in that, and has beaten his teammate in the last five races — although they collided in the most recent sprint in Austin.

But Piastri showed signs of a comeback and return to form in the Mexico race, if not qualifying, and with a Saturday sprint also in the mix in Brazil and paying extra points the gap is set to widen one way or another.