Overview
- Lando Norris leads by 24 points over McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and by 49 over Max Verstappen with 83 points still available across Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
- ESPN notes the earliest the title can be clinched is Qatar, where a post‑Sprint buffer of at least 26 points over second place would seal the championship.
- Red Bull said a set-up miscalculation caused Verstappen’s Q1 exit in Brazil; the team overhauled his car, fitted a new power unit and he recovered from a pit-lane start to third.
- Motorsport Week’s analysis reported Verstappen had the strongest average race pace at Interlagos, fueling suggestions Red Bull squandered a better result.
- Helmut Marko wrote that Verstappen now needs a major setback for Norris to keep hopes alive, while Toto Wolff judged Verstappen’s title defense to be effectively over.