F1 | Race | São Paulo GP | Norris winning it all in Interlagos, Verstappen P3 - Motorsport

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After yesterday’s shock exit in Q1, it was no surprise Max Verstappen was to start the São Paulo GP from the pitlane. Joining him was the driver who took him out of the lead in 2018, Esteban Ocon. With the weather changing by the minute, the expected dry race was far from guaranteed at the start.

Disappointment for Bortoleto

The best getaway at lights out was for Lando Norris at the front, who did feel the need to go defensive in the Senna S. George Russell had a good initial getaway, but get’s caught up in the traffic and has to leave a place to Liam Lawson.

Further back hometown hero Gabriel Bortoleto was forced on the grass by Lance Stroll, going into Bico de Pato, causing him to lose control. At the end of the lap it was Lewis Hamilton who misjudged overtaking Franco Colapinto at the pit entry. He hit the Alpine driver at the rear, which made him lose his front wing.

While this is happening, Ollie Bearman overtakes Pierre Gasly into turn 1. The safety car is called to salvage the stricken Kick-Sauber of Bortoleto.

More Chaos

At the end of lap 5 the São Paulo GP got underway again. Oscar Piastri got the best run, and tried to overtake on the inside of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc. The McLaren driver locks up a little and hits Antonelli, who in turn hits Leclerc. This causes the suspension of the Ferrari to break, and Leclerc is out. Verstappen overtakes two drivers in turn 1 as the VSC is called to clear Leclerc’s Ferrari. Verstappen is subsequently stopped as he had a front right puncture according to his team.

When the VSC is lifted Piastri is on the gearbox of Norris, but cannot make a move. Further back Russell can make move, overtaking Lawson for fifth. Alex Albon and Gasly also have a little battle, with the Frenchman eventually ending up on top.

Yuki Tsunoda gets a 10 second penalty for a collision with Stroll at the restart. Bearman pulls a late move on Lawson, as Verstappen overtakes Hamilton again. A lap later Colapinto is passed, as Hamilton complains about unstable car ever since his collision. He stops for the second time to get a new set of mediums.

Verstappen and Antonelli cutting through the field

Verstappen triest to overtake Nico Hülkenberg, but almost loses it in Curva Do Sol. Piastri gets blamed for the turn 1 incident and gets a 10 second time penalty as well.

Verstappen overtakes Hulkenberg a lap later, followed by Fernano Alonso yet another lap later. Bearman and Carlos Sainz are the first to make a scheduled pit stop.

Gasly and Hadjar stop a lap later and the Racing Bulls driver loses his place to Bearman. Verstappen passes Albon, as Hulkenberg goes past Alonso. Antonelli is the next one to makes his stop, and he drops behind Stroll.

Ocon is being passed by Gasly and Lawson, while Antonelli overtakes Colapinto.

Tsunoda stops in lap 25 to serve his penalty, but the team fails to execute it correctly, meaning he has to do it again later on.

Verstappen in podium mix

Up front of the São Paulo GP Verstappen is closing the gap to Russell, as Hamilton gets served a penalty for his lap 1 collision. Antonelli overtakes Hülkenberg, while Alonso makes his first stop. Albon is overtaken a lap later by the young Italian.

At lap 31 Norris goes to the pits for a set of softs. He comes out behind Verstappen, but easily overtakes the Dutchman a little later.

Overtakes are happening up and down the field, with Hülkenberg and Bearman overtaking Albon, Gasly divebombing Hadjar and Verstappen overtaking Sainz after his second stop. Russell stopped together with the four-time champion.

Hamilton has served his penalty and is subsequently retired, capping off an abysmal day for Ferrari. Piastri serves his penalty as well and goes to the soft for his second stint. He comes out behind Lawson.

Bearman stops in lap 43 for his second stop, while Hadjar battles with Colapinto. The young Frenchman isn’t too pleased with the driving of the young Argentinian.

Heaps of action in Interlagos

Antonelli makes his final stop of the São Paulo GP in lap 48 and comes out behind Lawson. Russell follows a lap later and gets out behind his team mate. Bearman is battling Hülkenberg and eventually passes the German veteran around the outside in Decida do Lago.

Lawson is quickly disposed of by Antonelli as Norris stops for fresh medium tyres. He comes out behind Piastri while Russell overtakes Lawson as well.

Piastri box a lap later than Norris, so the battle is on for the win between Norris and Verstappen, as at this moment it looks like he doesn’t need another stop. Hadjar overtakes Stroll into turn 4 and 5, with Gasly immediatly profiting and passing Stroll as well.

Battles all the way to the line

Verstappen does make a third stop however, this time for softs. He ends up behind Russell, but is within his DRS range with 10 laps to go. He overtakes the Briton around the outside of the Senna S a few laps later.

With five laps to go, Hülkenberg is battling Lawson, with Hadjar and Gasly closing in on them, Verstappen is closing in on Antonelli and gets in his DRS range with just four laps to go.

And while Norris’ victory is not under threat, Antonelli manages to keep Verstappen at bay, crossing the line about three tenths ahead of the Red Bull driver. Behind them Russell takes fourth from Piastri and Bearman. Lawson crosses the line in seventh with a DRS-train all the way up to 14^th.