Overview
- After sweeping São Paulo, Lando Norris leads the standings with 390 points and is 24 clear of Oscar Piastri and 49 ahead of Max Verstappen with 83 points still available across Las Vegas, the Qatar sprint weekend and Abu Dhabi.
- Red Bull fitted a complete new power unit to Verstappen in Brazil; he started from the pit lane, suffered a lap‑3 puncture and recovered to the podium, which the team said reflected a performance‑driven decision to run a fresh engine.
- McLaren team principal Andrea Stella asked the FIA to clarify whether Red Bull’s late engine change should count under the cost cap if done for performance, putting the focus on budget‑rule accounting for the season’s final stretch.
- Verstappen said the championship was effectively lost earlier in the year despite recent gains, acknowledging the points gap as he targets strong results in the remaining three grands prix and the Qatar sprint.
- Ferrari’s president John Elkann publicly criticized his drivers after a double DNF in Brazil, prompting unity‑themed responses from Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, while Racing Bulls apologized for a viral video of a mechanic giving a thumbs‑down during Norris’s podium ceremony.