SAO PAULO: Lando Norris won the sprint race at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix from pole on Saturday to extend his advantage in the world championship after his McLaren teammate and closest title rival Oscar Piastri crashed out.
Norris takes a nine-point lead into Sunday’s main race, with Piastri spinning on lap six after clipping a wet kerb at an overcast and damp Interlagos.
Mercedes duo Kimi Antonelli and George Russell completed the podium in a sprint that was red-flagged after Piastri and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto exited the 100km dash.
Norris, who went into this weekend with a one-point lead over Piastri, will be hoping to keep up the momentum in qualifying for Sunday’s race later.
The 24-lap dash finished under a yellow flag after Gabriel Bortoleto’s Sauber suffered a big crash.
Max Verstappen crossed the line in fourth to leave Red Bull’s four-time defending champion 40 points behind Norris going into the fourth-to-last race of the season.