Norris wins Brazilian GP as Verstappen finishes second from pitlane

Lando Norris completed the perfect Brazilian Grand Prix weekend by beating a brilliant Kimi Antonelli to the chequered flag ahead of Max Verstappen and George Russell.

Oscar Piastri remains in the title hunt after bringing his McLaren home in fifth place after receiving a ten second time penalty for a first lap incident.

It means that Norris, who also won Saturday’s Sprint, now leads the drivers’ championship by 24 points with only three races [and a Sprint] remaining from Piastri with Verstappen a further 25 points behind Piastri.

Take a bow, Lando 👏

So composed all weekend 💪#F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/xYZdL8iUMh

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 9, 2025

“Amazing race, nice to win here in Brazil,” Norris told Sky Sports after stepping from the car. Amazing track, amazing fans and this one was for Gil [de Ferran] one of my mentors growing up a few years ago. So this one he would have been very proud about it all so I was thinking about that as well. So a perfect weekend.”

As for his title chances and those who may have written him off less than half a dozen races ago? The Englishman’s answer was emphatic.

“Just ignore everyone who talks crap about you and just focus on yourself. The team [McLaren] are doing an amazing job, have given me a great car, we are pushing hard every weekend and pushing hard away from the track. So rewarding. It doesn’t come easy that’s for sure, so glad to take away the win.”

P1! 🙌#McLaren | #BrazilGP 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/Uw0Gq7D7HU

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) November 9, 2025

Whilst Norris can momentarily bask in the glory of another race victory that puts him a step closer to F1 immortality, the driver of the race was unquestionably the already great Verstappen.

His pitlane and puncture charge to the podium on one of the toughest of circuits will now surely enter the annals of F1 folklore.

THE TALE OF THE RACE

With Norris starting on pole ahead of Antonelli and Charles Leclerc but his rivals languishing behind, a good start was welcome, if not totally critical.

Just to spice things up, it was a real mixed affair regards tyre choice – Norris, Leclerc and Piastri starting on the mediums with Antonelli and Hadjar gambling on a quick start on the red banded softs.

And it was Norris who got off to the perfect start, holding off Antonelli and Leclerc with Piastri and Hadjar behind. After the dramas of Saturday, Gabriel Bortoleto had yet another worrying off, bringing out an early yellow flag.

Lewis Hamilton was another early casualty, front floor damage compromising his race following early contact with Carlos Sainz.

Upon the restart, yet more drama, contact between Piastri and Antonelli pitching the Mercedes into a wobble before Leclerc was caught up in the domino effect and out of the race and putting him to the back of the field. It was cruel luck on the Ferrari driver, out of the race through no fault of his own.

Chaos at the race restart! #F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/isqw82KVJo

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 9, 2025

With Verstappen also picking up a puncture, the early battle for the race was now between Norris and Piastri, both on the medium compound tyre.

But with Piastri picking up a ten second time penalty for the contact with Antonelli, it put Norris in prime position to hammer home the advantage of an already perfect weekend.

The only thing that could seemingly scupper Norris now? A technical difficulty or a botched pitstop. Antonelli was the first of the big hitters to stop on lap 22 to shed softs for mediums, coming back out in 11^th.

Norris followed on lap 30 for a fresh set of soft tyres but out behind Verstappen with another stop remaining for both drivers. And on lap 33, he swept past and into a relative P1.

He still had one final stop to make and had the luxury of it, making that change on lap 51 to take him to the finish. Verstappen, who started from the pit lane for a Power Unit and wing change, pitted on softs on lap 55 to take him to the finish.

It was now a frantic fight to the flag, Antonelli just holding off a charging Verstappen as Russell did likewise with Piastri after a mesmerising race.

📻 “Oh my god, man. That was stressful!”

A brilliant P2 for Kimi – his best ever result 👏👏#F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/bAHkl7qfuF

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 9, 2025

“I think the race was quite fraught, I had to overtake a lot of cars coming from the pitlane,” said Verstappen afterward. “I think our pace was quite strong the stints because overall quite difficult to know with the traffic and stuff.

“To be on the podium from the pitlane I didn’t expect that at all even with a puncture as well at the beginning of the race which is why we had to box again so incredible result for us, very happy with that.

“We never give up, always strive to improve and we found that extra lap time today. With all that to finish only ten seconds from the leader is incredible.”