Norris wins to boost title hopes and hold off Verstappen charge

Max Verstappen had declared disconsolately that his world championship hopes should be forgotten as he went into the São Paulo Grand Prix.

- Giles Richards

Norris cruises to another vital win Lando Norris leads from pole in Sao Paulo on his way to victory, taking him 24 points clear of Oscar Piastri in the drivers' standings

(AMANDA PEROBELLI/REUTERS)

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 stake 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.

Yet Verstappen, as ever, was irrepressible at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, where he drove from 17th to victory last season and is now the scene of two of his best drives. With Verstappen and Red Bull having found the pace that eluded them all weekend after taking a new engine and employing a new setup after a dire qualifying, he scythed through the field with verve and dash that was a joy to watch.