Norris holds off Antonelli for Sao Paulo Sprint win

Lando Norris extended his advantage in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship with a win in the Sprint in Sao Paulo as teammate and chief title rival Oscar Piastri crashed out.

Norris started from pole and led comfortably from the off as second-placed starter Kimi Antonelli held off an early attempt from Piastri.

Antonelli kept within DRS range of Norris early on, while Piastri used the DRS to remain in touch with the Mercedes driver, but on lap 6, he dropped a wheel onto the wet inside curb of Turn 2, spinning into the outside wall of Turn 3 bringing an early end to his Sprint.

Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto mirrored Piastri's incident, with the red flag coming out for the stricken McLaren and Alpine – Hulkenberg having been able to recover and return to the pits.

When the race restarted under rolling start conditions on lap 9, Norris had switched from the medium tires he'd started the race on to the softs, while Antonelli and Mercedes teammate George Russell and Max Verstappen made the opposite change.

The change gave Norris early pace, but as his rear tires began to fall off, Antonelli closed the gap. By lap 20 of the 24-lap race, he was back within six tenths of Norris, and was making a play for the win. Norris managed the gap, keeping stronger pace in the middle sector, but Antonelli capitalized on his DRS to maintain pace in the first and final sectors.

He couldn't find a way past, though, and with the race ending under double waved yellow flags – a consequence of a huge first-corner crash for home hero Gabriel Bortoleto at Turn 1 – he eventually crossed the line 0.845s ahead of Antonelli to become the first driver to win the Sprint from pole in Sao Paulo. Russell finished third, with Verstappen fourth, while Charles Leclerc took fifth for Ferrari, having spent much of the race mirred behind Fernando Alonso who'd been told to lift and coast "for performance," a curious request given the short nature of the Sprint.

Alonso held on for sixth to claim his first Sprint points since Qatar 2023, with Hamilton seventh. Gasly took the final points-paying position in eighth – taking Alpine's first points for eight weekends. Lance Stroll and Isack Hadjar completed the top 10.

Hadjar moved forward after Bortoleto's crash, which came as the Sauber driver attempted to pass the Williams of Alex Albon with a late lunge into the first corner. Bortoleto ended up in the wall while Albon was slowed after he collected some of the loose bodywork from the Sauber crash, which allowed the Racing Bulls rookie to sneak by.

The Haas cars of Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman were next up, ahead of Liam Lawson.

Ocon passed the Racing Bulls man on lap 17 at Turn 4, capitalizing on DRS advantage on the run there after setting up the move in the first sequence of corners. Bearman finished ahead of the New Zealander despite being spun after contact between the two at Turn 5 on the opening lap.

Yuki Tsunoda finished 14th for Red Bull, ahead of Williams' Carlos Sainz, while Hulkenberg recovered from his early incident to finish 16th ahead of the hobbled Albon.

RESULTS