Verstappen Dominates Brazilian GP Sprint as Norris and Perez Complete Podium

Max Verstappen secured a commanding victory in the final sprint race of the Formula 1 season at the Brazilian Grand Prix, overtaking pole-sitter Lando Norris at the opening corner and maintaining a strong lead throughout the 24-lap contest.

Starting from second on the grid, Verstappen wasted no time taking the initiative, diving down the inside of Norris at Turn 1. The Red Bull driver controlled the pace from there, gradually building a gap and ultimately crossing the line 4.287 seconds ahead of the McLaren.

Behind the leading duo, the early laps saw an intense scrap for third place. George Russell surged forward at the start, getting ahead of Sergio Perez, while Lewis Hamilton momentarily swept past the Red Bull driver around the outside of Descida do Lago to take fourth.

However, Perez wasn’t content to settle. He quickly reclaimed fourth from Hamilton and then began hunting down Russell. After several exchanges, the Mexican finally made the move stick to take third position—where he remained until the end.

Meanwhile, Norris, having been demoted to third by Russell on the opening lap, recovered his composure and reclaimed second place on lap five. Although he lacked the pace to challenge Verstappen, the McLaren driver held his position comfortably for the rest of the race.

Further down the order, tyre management proved crucial. Verstappen’s ability to preserve his rubber through the high-speed sections gave him the edge, allowing him to pull clear of Norris in the closing laps. By the chequered flag, Perez was over 13 seconds behind his teammate but held off Russell by a sizeable margin.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc managed to pass Hamilton in the closing stages to take fifth place, while Yuki Tsunoda added to AlphaTauri’s momentum by overtaking Hamilton as well, finishing sixth.

The final points-paying position was hotly contested. Carlos Sainz fended off a strong challenge from Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri for eighth. Piastri initially got the better of Ricciardo on lap 15, enabling Sainz to stretch a small gap. But Ricciardo struck back in the final moments, regaining ninth.

Behind them, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll brought their Aston Martins home in 11th and 12th respectively. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon finished in 13th and 14th, followed by Williams’ Alex Albon.

Haas struggled again, with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg finishing down in 16th and 18th. Alfa Romeo endured a difficult sprint too, as Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas were 17th and 19th, respectively. Logan Sargeant rounded out the grid in 20th for Williams.

Full Sprint Race Classification – São Paulo Grand Prix:
Max Verstappen – Red Bull

Lando Norris – McLaren (+4.287s)

Sergio Perez – Red Bull (+13.617s)

George Russell – Mercedes (+25.879s)

Charles Leclerc – Ferrari (+28.560s)

Yuki Tsunoda – AlphaTauri (+29.210s)

Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes (+34.726s)

Carlos Sainz – Ferrari (+35.106s)

Daniel Ricciardo – AlphaTauri (+35.303s)

Oscar Piastri – McLaren (+38.219s)

Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin (+39.061s)

Lance Stroll – Aston Martin (+39.478s)

Pierre Gasly – Alpine (+40.621s)

Esteban Ocon – Alpine (+42.848s)

Alexander Albon – Williams (+43.394s)

Kevin Magnussen – Haas (+56.507s)

Zhou Guanyu – Alfa Romeo (+58.723s)

Nico Hülkenberg – Haas (+1:00.330)

Valtteri Bottas – Alfa Romeo (+1:00.749)

Logan Sargeant – Williams (+1:00.945)

As the final sprint event of the season, the Brazilian round offered a glimpse into Red Bull’s continued dominance, while also highlighting the close midfield battles that have defined much of the year.