Lando Norris executed an ideal weekend on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday to increase his title lead over McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri to 24 factors.
The Briton took 33 factors in complete at Interlagos by profitable each the dash race and grand prix, whereas Australian Piastri did not make the primary podium for the fifth weekend in a row and completed fifth.
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Max Verstappen’s third place after ranging from the pit lane additionally caught the attention, however the four-time title winner is now 49 factors behind chief Norris.
With solely three races and one dash occasion left of the 2025 season, BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson solutions your newest questions.
Do you assume the stewards have been being harsh on Oscar Piastri in giving him a 10-second penalty for his half within the collision with Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc, when most different individuals thought it was a racing incident? – Andrew
It is easy to see why Piastri was penalised for the incident, whenever you learn the FIA’s driving requirements tips.
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They are saying that to be entitled to be given room when overtaking on the within, the overtaking automotive should:
“Have its entrance axle at the least alongside the mirror of the opposite automotive previous to and on the apex; and be pushed in a totally managed method notably from entry to apex, and never have ‘dived in’.”
Though Piastri was virtually absolutely alongside Antonelli on the pit straight and coming into the braking zone, his entrance axle was now not alongside the mirror of Antonelli’s automotive on the apex.
He additionally locked up his entrance left tyre, which presumably gave the stewards the impression that he was not “absolutely managed”.
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The stewards report stated Piastri “didn’t set up the required overlap previous to and on the apex” and “locked the brakes as he tried to keep away from contact by slowing, however was unable to take action and made contact”. They concluded that Piastri was “due to this fact wholly chargeable for the collision”.
So, sure, the rules say the penalty was justified.
However was it proper?
Behind chief Lando Norris, the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli has simply been knocked off line after contact with Oscar Piastri [Getty Images]
The issue with the rules is that they’re being utilized to the letter, with out what some would take into account giving correct consideration to the fact of racing.
If a driver is nearly absolutely alongside one other automotive heading to the braking zone, they’re completely entitled to make the transfer. And the rules indicate that, too.
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On the within, a driver has to brake earlier due to their slender trajectory, so the relative place of the vehicles will change on nook entry. That is particularly the case if the observe continues to be barely damp after rain.
Ought to that imply the motive force shouldn’t be entitled to be given room? Ought to they be required to again out at this level? Is that even possible? Ought to it imply the motive force mustn’t go for the transfer within the first place?
There may be an argument that Antonelli knew Piastri was on the within, and would have been sensible to present him extra space, slightly than minimize in in the direction of the apex a lot and threat contact.
On this case, Charles Leclerc, who was taken out by Antonelli after the collision between Piastri and the Italian, stated: “Oscar was optimistic, however Kimi knew that Oscar was on the within, I feel, and he form of did the nook like Oscar was by no means there.
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“For me, the blame shouldn’t be all on Oscar. It was optimistic, however this might have been prevented. I would not go as far to say it is all of Oscar’s fault. I do not assume it’s.”
Piastri stated: “I had a really clear alternative up the within, went for it. Sure, there was a lock-up, however I used to be firmly on the apex, on the white line. I could not go any additional left, and I am unable to simply disappear.”
Antonelli stated: “I discovered myself in a really tough place as a result of I had one automotive on the surface and one automotive on the within. I attempted to brake late, not too late. The issue is I did not see the automotive subsequent to me any extra. I nonetheless tried to do a good line for the place I used to be in. And, yeah, ended up getting hit.”
Finally, these are subjective questions on which opinions will fluctuate.
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What will be stated for sure is the drivers, as a normal overview, aren’t that proud of the rules, or the style during which they’re being utilized. This has come up again and again this 12 months. It does appear to be some form of evaluate is required.
May the brand new 2026 laws be Lewis Hamilton’s saving grace? And if Ferrari get the automotive fallacious once more, what is the threat of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton shifting on to completely different groups? – Laura
Lewis Hamilton had one other tough race in Brazil.
He certified thirteenth whereas team-mate Charles Leclerc was third. Hamilton was hit by Carlos Sainz on the first nook, damaging his automotive, after which misjudged a passing transfer on Franco Colapinto’s Alpine at the beginning of the subsequent lap and took off his personal entrance wing.
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After what has undoubtedly been a tough maiden season at Ferrari, it is little surprise that he stated afterwards:
Hamilton went on to say: “I consider there’s something extraordinary up forward in my life and in my future. I actually nonetheless consider on this group and what we will obtain collectively.”
When it comes to his total kind, there isn’t any query that Hamilton has improved because the season has gone on – for the reason that summer time break, he’s down solely 0.099 seconds on common on Leclerc in qualifying. That quantity is 0.128secs for the 12 months.
On the similar time, Hamilton has made no secret of the truth that he does not likely get on with the present period of vehicles. They do not swimsuit the best way he likes to brake late and pitch the automotive into the nook, and he hopes the 2026 vehicles, following the introduction of recent guidelines, will probably be higher suited to him.
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As for his future, Ferrari haven’t stated how lengthy his contract is. However I’ve been listening to for some time that Hamilton is on a agency three-year deal at Ferrari – ie, to the tip of 2027 – and an alternate he had with the media in Brazil did appear to verify this.
He was requested when he anticipated to start out negotiations on a brand new contract, and he replied: “I’ve a fairly lengthy contract. Usually, whenever you do a contract, it is often the 12 months earlier than (it ends) you begin to speak about it. I am a bit of bit removed from that proper now.”
He was requested whether or not that meant he could be doing so subsequent 12 months, and he replied: “No.”
The size of Leclerc’s contract has not been formally revealed by Ferrari, however it’s In fact, there could also be choices in there that would see him depart earlier.
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Max Verstappen’s drive in Sao Paulo was fairly harking back to Lewis Hamilton in 2021, the widespread theme being they’d a brand new engine. Is Brazil a observe the place this has a larger impression than others? Ought to different drivers take into account it as an out-there technique name, or was it solely doable due to the massive expertise of these two drivers? – Tom
It is extraordinarily uncommon {that a} driver can obtain this form of a outcome after ranging from the pit lane. Verstappen’s achievement in Brazil matched these of Jarno Trulli in Australia in 2009, Sebastian Vettel in Abu Dhabi in 2012 and Lewis Hamilton in Hungary in 2014.
A brand new engine undoubtedly provides a small efficiency benefit, however Verstappen’s drive on Sunday was a lot much less to do with than two different issues – Purple Bull’s change to the automotive’s set-up, and Verstappen’s personal genius.
The truth that he did it after being dropped to the again once more by his pit cease for a puncture on lap six, having already climbed to thirteenth, was all of the extra spectacular.
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Having stated that, it isn’t all that uncommon for a driver who has certified badly to make a pit-lane begin, because it means modifications will be made to the automotive with the intention of constructing it quicker within the race.
That is precisely the technique Purple Bull employed in Sao Paulo.
However the issue of overtaking in F1, and the truth that only a few drivers may have achieved what Verstappen did, means it is extremely unlikely to turn into a strategic choice outdoors these particular circumstances.
A Mercedes buyer group has comprehensively overwhelmed the works group for 2 years in a row. If McLaren begin subsequent season nonetheless forward of Mercedes, at what level does it begin to be an actual downside for the works group? – James
Mercedes clearly do not ever need to be overwhelmed by McLaren, and definitely don’t need it to maintain taking place. They need to win themselves.
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However motorsport director and F1 group principal Toto Wolff all the time says when requested about this that if Mercedes cannot win, the subsequent group he would need to achieve this could be a Mercedes buyer, as a result of at the least then Mercedes are nonetheless profitable.
McLaren’s success has helped guarantee Mercedes-powered vehicles have gained all however two of the constructors’ titles for the reason that begin of the hybrid period in 2014, lacking out solely in 2022 and 2023, when Purple Bull-Honda have been at their most dominant.
McLaren beating the works group cannot make Wolff’s life that snug, however Mercedes don’t give the impression that that is an existential query for them.
Their presence in F1 relies on the truth that they consider the funding is rewarded by the publicity worth of getting a aggressive group, in live performance with the technological advantages for the entire firm of being on the forefront of motorsport.
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It is also price saying that supplying engines to prospects makes cash for Mercedes and helps offset the analysis and growth prices of their F1 engine programme. In complete, it made them about £90m final 12 months, bearing in mind charges for engines and dividends.
Mercedes have been in F1 for greater than 30 years, no matter whether or not you decide their formal works entry with McLaren in 1995 or their “idea by Mercedes” branding with Sauber in 1993 as their place to begin. And they’re in it for the lengthy haul.
