Perfect weekend for Norris puts him in the championship driving seat

Perfect weekend for Norris puts him in the championship driving seat: Analysis of the Brazilian Grand Prix, brought to you by Bahrain International Circuit

Interlagos is considered by most passionate racing fans as a magical F1 venue. It’s not just because of its position as the spiritual home of the great Ayrton Senna, or its rich history of racing in F1 since the early 1970s, or even the passionate fans or the cultural vibrancy which is ever-present at the venue. It reliably produces exceptional racing, year in year out. The unpredictable weather can often play a part and the fact that overtaking is easier than on other historic circuits help too, but it also seems to inspire drivers to achieve the impossible. Last year, Max Verstappen won the race from 17th, only the third time this had happened in the history of the sport.

At times, it looked as though the Dutchman might repeat that feat in Sunday’s race, although in this case starting from last place in the pitlane. Whilst he fell short of that accomplishment – something that has never be done ever in the history of F1 – he got pretty close.

Verstappen’s efforts were thwarted by a hugely impressive performance from Lando Norris, who delivered almost the perfect weekend. Pole and a win in the sprint race and a repeat of that the in Sunday’s feature race. It was a calm and measured performance under the most intense pressure. He came into the weekend with a wafer-thin one point lead over Oscar Piastri. That has now risen to 24 points. That might sound a lot with just three races left after Brazil, but the smallest of errors can still cost a shot at the championship.

Piastri, on the other hand, was having his own struggles. Having qualified fourth, his opportunistic move on the inside of turn one after a safety car restart ultimately put Charles Leclerc out of the race. The Stewards ruled that, having locked up his tyres, Piastri was at fault and he was given a ten second penalty. This cost him track position and time and could only finish fifth. His weekend was compounded by the fact that he crashed out of the sprint race the day before, losing further ground in the championship fight.

All this meant that there has been a 23-point swing in the championship standings in Norris’ favour. He can now afford to come second in the remaining three races as still take the coveted crown. As for Piastri, he hasn’t won a race since August and since then there has been a 58-point swing against him in the points table and he is running out of time to find some of his early season form. All is not lost, however, as history has shown that even the smallest errors can have major consequences. Piastri’s crash out in the sprint race was as a result of his tyre slipping on a wet curb. Had he been even an inch either side of that, the story could have been different. F1, like most major sports, is about tiny margins. You would be unwise, therefore, to write him off for the championship. With his talent and the class of the car he is driving, a comeback is certainly possible.

Similarly, you would be equally unwise to write off Max Verstappen. His drive in Brazil was like something from another world. In what seemed like just a handful of minutes, he went from the back of the grid to the midfield and from there to a podium place, slicing his way though the field with consummate ease. There were times when it looked like he might have won and he probably would have done had he not have suffered an early puncture in the race. Whilst he is now 49 points adrift of Norris, based on the evidence of the weekend McLaren still need to be very wary of the Dutchman who has a relentless ability to make things happen.

The final word should be for Norris as he finds himself in uncharted territory, with just three races to go. After his dream weekend in Brazil, there were a couple of telling signs that the Englishman’s focus has shifted somewhat. No major celebrations at the finish line; indeed, quite the opposite. He was more concerned about how Verstappen appeared to have quicker race pace than him. When he got out of the car and was asked in interview about his dreams of a first world championship, he was clear this was not on his mind. That must be a difficult challenge, given the position he finds himself in the championship and basic human nature. He was also very keen to point out that he was getting much better at ignoring his detractors in the media. Put all that together and it offers some way to explain the work Norris has clearly been doing off track to focus his energies on the end goal.

F1 returns in two-week time for the spectacle in Las Vegas. With a championship this close and the quality of racing we have seen in recent weeks, it seems an apt venue for what will undoubtedly be an incredible show.