Overview
- The title fight enters São Paulo with four rounds and two sprints left, Norris leading Piastri by one point and Verstappen 36 points off the top with 116 still available.
- Piastri rejected claims of favouritism or interference, saying recent struggles are fully explainable and insisting he still has what it takes to win the championship.
- Norris set the bar to keep winning after a dominant Mexico City victory, crediting improved consistency, mentality and preparation for his late-season surge.
- Verstappen acknowledged he likely needs a little luck to overturn the deficit, vowed to go all‑in, and pointed to Red Bull’s recent turnaround with three wins in the last five races.
- McLaren maintained its ‘papaya rules’ policy of equal treatment, with team boss Andrea Stella citing low‑grip circuits and driving‑style nuances as reasons for Piastri’s recent form despite outside criticism.