Lando Norris strengthened his grip on the 2025 Formula 1 world championship after clinching

Image: X/McLarenF1

Lando Norris strengthened his grip on the 2025 Formula 1 world championship after clinching a dominant victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday. Norris’ teammate and main title rival, Oscar Piastri, endured a difficult race after being handed a 10-second penalty, eventually crossing the line fifth. The McLaren driver, who also won Saturday’s sprint race from pole position, delivered a near-flawless performance at Interlagos to take his seventh win of the season.

The British driver finished ahead of Mercedes’ young sensation Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who made a remarkable charge from the pit lane to secure third place.

Leclerc retired early due to mechanical issues, while Hamilton was forced to stop after contact damaged his car. (Inputs from AP). Verstappen’s drive was one of the standout performances of the race. Starting from the pit lane after Red Bull opted for overnight setup changes and a new engine following a poor qualifying session that left him 16th, the four-time world champion carved through the field. Despite suffering a puncture mid-race that forced an extra pit stop, Verstappen used a fresh set of soft tyres in the final laps to overtake George Russell and nearly challenge Antonelli for second before settling for third. It was another tough outing for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both failing to finish. Discover everything about the automotive world at Times of India .

With this result, Norris now leads the championship standings with 390 points, 24 clear of Piastri, who sits second with 366. Verstappen, meanwhile, remains third with 341 points, keeping a slim mathematical chance of the title alive. MINI JCW Countryman All4 Track Review: Fastest model tested | TOI Auto Earlier reporting noted: Formula 1: Verstappen wins Qatar GP, pushes F1 title fight to Abu Dhabi finale Max Verstappen kept the Formula 1 title battle alive with a crucial victory at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, ensuring that this year’s championship will be decided at the final race in Abu Dhabi. Norris, still chasing his first Formula 1 crown, will aim to become Britain’s first world champion since Lewis Hamilton’s 2020 triumph.

The Red Bull driver, who has been charging through the standings with a late-season surge, finished ahead of pole-sitter Oscar Piastri, while championship leader Lando Norris crossed the line in fourth. Piastri, also hunting his maiden title, remains firmly in the mix despite dropping to third. Verstappen, meanwhile, is fighting for a fifth consecutive world championship: something few expected midway through the season. (Inputs from AP).

Earlier reporting noted: The championship picture is now finely balanced.