What had begun with such enormous optimism for Lando Norris to bring about a pivotal shift in the championship battle was shattered with a masterclass victory from his title rival Max Verstappen at the São Paulo Grand Prix, leaving Norris’s hopes all but over.
In a remarkable drive Verstappen came back from 17th on the grid to take victory while Norris fell from pole to sixth place after a dramatic and gripping contest at Interlagos.
Verstappen’s drive, while favoured by a little good fortune, was still a mighty performance in treacherous, wet conditions all afternoon that saw a host of drivers crashing out and the race stopped because of the intensity of the rain at one point. Similar to his superlative demonstration in the wet at Interlagos when he came back from being 16th to finish third, this was even more impressive.
While all around him errors were made, including one crucial moment by Norris on a restart, the world champion exhibited iron control to first scythe through the field and then take the lead and his first win since the Spanish GP in June. A change of momentum in the title fight was expected before the race but no one bar perhaps the world champion himself, considered it would swing so decisively in Verstappen’s favour.
Three meetings remain, including one sprint race, but with victory Verstappen has now extended his lead over Norris from 44 points to 62, with 86 still available. The task facing the British driver was already challenging and now appears to be a bridge to far. If Verstappen is 60 points ahead after the next round in Las Vegas his fourth title will be sealed.
Worse still for Norris his finishing position remains to be confirmed. With the race opening in damp conditions Lance Stroll spun out on the formation lap, the start was aborted and the grid had to reform.
Norris, however, then set off to complete another formation lap, was followed by the rest of the field and is under investigation for a start procedure infringement having not stayed in his slot, with the start lights orange, as the rules require. The infringement, including a host of other drivers, is being investigated after the race and penalties may yet be imposed.
Verstappen had been unlucky in qualifying which had taken place on Sunday morning after it had been postponed on Saturday because of a heavy storm. He was caught out with the timing of a red flag, leaving him in 12th place but starting from 17th with a five-place grid penalty due to taking a new engine, while Norris claimed pole. Damage limitation had looked to be his best hope.
However, from the off he showed no indication the game was up. A lighting start moved him up to 11th after the first lap. A swathe of overtakes followed and by lap 11 he was up to sixth and still within 10 seconds of the leader George Russell who had jumped Norris at the start.
He was on a charge but fortune favoured the Dutchman too, with heavy rain returning, McLaren and Mercedes pitted Norris and Russell under a Virtual Safety Car while Verstappen stayed out. It proved inspired. The race was stopped shortly afterwards when the rain became untenable and Franco Colapinto crashed out. A huge moment for Verstappen who could now take new tyres without pitting, the luck he would have felt he deserved after qualifying. He emerged in second behind the Alpine of Esteban Ocon with Norris now fourth.
When racing resumed with Ocon leading, another safety car period was triggered and the restart on lap 43 was crucial. Verstappen pounced on Ocon to take the lead through turn one, while Norris went off and dropped to seventh as Verstappen immediately opened a gap. Norris’s team-mate Oscar Piastri was ordered to move over to allow Norris take sixth but his hopes had gone.
Verstappen was in a different class in clean air, opening a huge gap and by the time he took the flag for an immense, breathtaking victory his lead was 20 seconds over Ocon, who was second and Pierre Gasly in third and 30 on Norris, the title now surely all but done.
Both Mercedes cars of Russell, who was fourth and Lewis Hamilton, who was 10th, are also under investigation for changing their tyre pressures while the wheels were on the car on the second grid and they too may receive a penalty.
Charles Leclerc was fifth for Ferrari, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson seventh and ninth for RB and Piastri in eighth. – Guardian
