São Paulo Grand Prix: 3 winners & losers
11th November 2025McLaren’s Lando Norris extends his lead at the top of the drivers’ standings following a chaotic São Paulo Grand Prix, and here are my three winners and losers from across the weekend.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
Winners
Max Verstappen
In potentially the drive of the season, Max Verstappen looked unstoppable in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Following a disappointing P16 in qualifying – his first Q1 exit since Sochi 2021 – Verstappen was relegated to a pit-lane start following a change in his power unit.
After a promising start, he was forced into an early pit on lap seven with a suspected puncture. This failed to hamper the Dutchman, as he carved through the field, eventually climbing up to third on lap 63 after a first-corner overtake on George Russell. Almost clinching P2 on the final lap, a combination of great strategy, set-up and race-craft saw Verstappen go from pit lane to podium, clinching Driver of the Day along the way.
Kimi Antonelli
19-year-old rookie Antonelli proved to everyone why he deserves his seat at Mercedes with a P2 finish in the Sprint and Sunday’s race. Comfortably ahead of teammate Russell across the weekend, Antonelli’s race craft on Sunday was a marvel to witness.
After maintaining P2 from the start, Antonelli survived an unfortunate collision with Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc at the safety-car restart on lap six. The Italian remained cool under pressure from Isack Hadjar behind in the ensuing chaos and retained third, before climbing back to second following Piastri’s 10-second penalty for the collision.
Further defending was required in the final laps, as Antonelli maintained four-time World Champion Verstappen behind in an intense battle to the line, securing his best finish in F1 to date.
Lando Norris
Yet another dominant weekend from Norris ensured the British driver extended his lead in the drivers’ championship for the second week running. Topping every session and finishing 10 seconds ahead of second-place Kimi Antonelli in Sunday’s race, Norris added 23 points to his championship lead heading into the final three rounds.
From looking like a championship outsider only a few races ago, Norris’ turn in form has put him in pole position for the title as we head into Las Vegas.
Losers
Gabriel Bortoletto
Hometown hero Bortoletto had a weekend to forget in Sao Paulo, crashing out of both races and completing only one lap in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Fortunate to walk away unscathed from the 57G crash he suffered in Saturday’s Sprint, Bortoletto’s car did not suffer the same kind of fate.
Forced to miss qualifying, Bortoletto lined up 18th on the grid following pit-lane penalties for Verstappen and Esteban Ocon. The Brazilian would fail to improve any further, following contact from Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin before spinning into the wall, ending his race.
Ferrari
It was another disappointing result for Ferrari, with a double DNF in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton’s struggles continued as he failed to make it out of Q2 in both qualifying sessions – before colliding with Franco Colapinto in Sunday’s race. The lap-one incident left Hamilton’s front wing lodged under his car, causing floor damage that would eventually end his race.
Leclerc had a more promising weekend until Antonelli was launched into his Ferrari on lap six, ending the Monegasque’s race. The Italian team managed to score six points at least, with a P5 and P7 in Saturday’s Sprint.
Oscar Piastri
Another Grand Prix, another disappointing result for Piastri. Behind championship rival Norris from first practice, Piastri suffered a damaging DNF in Saturday’s Sprint. The slippery track caught the Australian off guard at turn three, spinning him into the barriers on lap six.
Over three-tenths down on Norris in qualifying, Piastri would finish Sunday’s race in fifth after he was awarded a 10-second time penalty for his lap-six collision with Antonelli, dropping further points. Now five races without a podium, Piastri has watched his comfortable championship lead slip, as he now sits 24 points behind Norris.
Read more Formula 1 here:
- Why Oscar Piastri was penalised at Sao Paulo Grand Prix
- Mechanic to blame for Yuki Tsunoda’s failed penalty at Sao Paulo Grand Prix
- Ferrari suffer double DNF at Sao Paulo Grand Prix after collisions
- Max Verstappen to start from pit lane at Sao Paulo Grand Prix
- Lando Norris takes pole for Sao Paulo Grand Prix as Max Verstappen exits Q1
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