Raining champ

VERSTAPPEN CLOSES IN ON TITLE

- DANIEL MOXON

IT should have been the day Lando Norris inflicted a significant blow on Max Verstappen's title defence.

He lined up on pole in the torrential Brazilian rain, having safely navigated a fraught qualifying session early in the morning, while the Red Bull racer was consigned to 17th on the grid.

But more downpours brought more chaos and, at the end of it all, the Brit found himself a long way behind Verstappen, his Formula 1 title challenge in tatters.

Norris (inset) finished sixth while Verstappen won at a canter, helped by lucky timing of a crash that brought out the red flags two laps after his championship challenger had pitted.