Norris Claims São Paulo Sprint Win as Piastri and Others Crash Out

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Lando Norris converted his sprint pole into a dominant victory at the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Sprint at Interlagos, gaining crucial points in his drivers’ championship battle while rivals slipped up in dramatic fashion.

Emerging from pole, Norris held the lead comfortably in the opening laps. The session took a dramatic turn on lap six when championship contender Oscar Piastri lost control exiting the Senna S chicane and slammed into the barriers at Turn 3. Within moments, Nico Hülkenberg and Franco Colapinto also crashed at the same corner, triggering a red flag and halting the race for barrier repairs. The chain of incidents left Piastri with zero points, a significant blow to his title challenge.

At the same time a serious crash involving Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto at Turn 1 raised further concern for the teams. Bortoleto’s accident occurred at speed, highlighting the slippery conditions at the circuit this weekend. He climbed from the car uninjured, but the impact and subsequent repairs intensified the tension in the paddock.

When the race resumed, Norris remained in command. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli applied pressure but was unable to dislodge the McLaren driver and settled for second place. George Russell brought home a strong third for Mercedes, picking up valuable points and showing their race pace is improving. Max Verstappen, despite a strong start, could only manage a fourth place finish, hampered by traffic and compromised grip in the restart.

Norris’s victory comes at a perfect moment. With Piastri now out of the sprint and unable to score, the McLaren driver extends his advantage in the title race and now sits in a far stronger position heading into the final rounds of the season. The result underlines how crucial clean execution and strategic composure are in the sprint format, especially under pressure.

With the sprint settled, attention now turns to Sunday’s main Grand Prix where the full points are on offer. After a chaotic sprint and unpredictable conditions, teams and drivers alike know the margin for error is minimal and the title fight is far from over.