Overview
- Lando Norris leads Oscar Piastri by one point with Max Verstappen 36 back, as the season enters a four-race run-in that starts with a sprint weekend in São Paulo.
- Rain is expected to affect Saturday’s qualifying and sprint, raising chaos potential at Interlagos where Verstappen has excelled in wet conditions, including a charge from 17th to victory last year.
- McLaren leadership says it will not favor either driver, accepting the risk of a 2007-style scenario rather than imposing team orders with the drivers separated by a single point.
- Piastri arrives under pressure after a dip in form and recent qualifying struggles, while Norris’ Mexico win marked a steadier trend and returned him to the top of the standings.
- Reports describe a Red Bull uplift under Laurent Mekies even as turbulence continues with chief mechanic Matt Caller set to join Audi, and rookie Arvid Lindblad impressed in Mexico FP1 under the mandatory rookie-run rule.