F1 São Paulo Sprint 2025: Norris Takes Victory as Piastri Crashes Out in Dramatic Wet Race

São Paulo, Brazil – McLaren’s Lando Norris clinched his second consecutive São Paulo Sprint win and extended his 2025 Formula 1 championship lead, after a chaotic and rain-affected race that saw teammate Oscar Piastri crash out early. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed again with P2, while George Russell completed the podium ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Norris dominates early as Piastri spins out

Starting from pole, Norris made a perfect getaway to lead into Turn 1 ahead of Antonelli, Piastri, and Russell. Verstappen, who started on Soft tyres, jumped Fernando Alonso for fifth place as the Spaniard struggled off the line.

However, the drama unfolded on lap 6, when Piastri clipped the inside kerb at Curva del Sol, lost grip on the damp surface, and spun into the barriers. The crash triggered a chain reaction — Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) and Franco Colapinto (Alpine) also went off in the same corner, bringing out the Safety Car and eventually a red flag.

A 25-minute delay followed to clear the damaged cars and repair the barriers before racing resumed with a rolling start.

Mercedes challenge falls short

When the race restarted, Norris held his lead firmly, but Antonelli faced pressure from teammate Russell. Verstappen, now on Mediums, struggled to find grip, allowing Alonso to briefly challenge him before the Dutchman fought back to secure fourth.

Up front, Norris began to stretch his advantage, building a 1.3-second gap by lap 15. But with rear tyre wear kicking in, the McLaren driver soon came under threat from Antonelli, who closed to within DRS range. Despite the pressure, Norris expertly managed his battery deployment to stay ahead.

Late crash seals the result

Any hope of a late attack from Antonelli disappeared when Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto crashed heavily on the final lap. The Brazilian, chasing Alex Albon under DRS, lost control under braking into Turn 1 and hit the wall, bringing out double yellow flags. With overtaking frozen, Norris cruised to victory, taking his third career Sprint win and second of 2025.

Antonelli secured another stellar result for Mercedes in second, while Russell claimed third ahead of Verstappen.

Ferrari and Aston Martin battle for midfield glory

Behind the top four, Charles Leclerc fought hard to overtake Fernando Alonso late in the race for P5, while Lewis Hamilton finished seventh in the other Ferrari. Pierre Gasly scored the final point for Alpine in eighth.

2025 FIA Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix – Sprint Results

Key Takeaways

• Lando Norris extends his F1 2025 championship lead.
• Kimi Antonelli continues to impress with another podium finish.
• Oscar Piastri’s crash dents McLaren’s double podium hopes.
• Gabriel Bortoleto’s late accident ends the race under yellow flags.