We are so close to the end of the F1 season, with only four races to go. Up next is the São Paulo Grand Prix, which has already seen the qualifiers and sprint race. We must say that the situation has become very complicated.

Lando Norris has the swing, Piastri is losing pace, while Max Verstappen has lost his momentum and will face a huge challenge ahead of him tomorrow. More about that in the following part of this text

For all those who want to see F1 odds, follow this link.

São Paulo Grand Prix Info

This event takes place at the Interlagos track, one of the most renowned in motorsports. There were numerous variations of this track, with the most recent one made in 1999. Its length is 4.309 km (2.677 miles), with a total of 71 laps.

After 52 races here, the driver with the most success is still Alain Prost, who has 6 triumphs. Of active drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have 3 each.

When examining the constructors, McLaren posted 12 wins, one more than Ferrari and five more than Red Bull, which has seven top places on the podium. Finally, the most decorated engine manufacturer here is Ferrari with 11 triumphs, the same as Mercedes. Renault has 10 victories, Ford 9.

In 2024, Max won the race, ahead of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, the Alpine Renault duo. Verstappen also had the fastest lap, while Norris held the pole position.

Max’s Qualifiers Disaster

The reigning champion, Max Verstappen, was 16th in the qualifiers, and this was a huge setback for the Dutch, whose chances of reaching the top spot after this race and staying in the title quest are now shaken.

Norris is now the leader, having 9 points more than Piastri, who didn’t end the sprint race, while his teammate from Britain took first place ahead of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Max was fourth.

Lando Norris also took the pole position, with Antonelli second, Leclerc third, and Piastri fourth. We have already discussed the possibility of Piastri significantly slowing down as the season comes to a close, as McLaren favors Norris, their top driver, and a British national. And our predictions are coming true.

Ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the standings are like this:

  • Norris 365
  • Piastri 356
  • Verstappen 326

Tactics and Weather at Interlagos

We all know that Interlagos presents a challenge for tyres, as a bumpy surface with all the long and fast directions mixed with speedy corners quickly damages the rubber layers on pneumatics.

But that’s not all. The weather might be an additional problem, because all the prognoses indicate rain at Interlagos. And not just any, but a huge cyclone, which could complicate things further and even necessitate the use of safety cars. However, we have to say that it’s something that makes F1 exciting and thrilling.

Sao Paulo Grand Prix Predictions

The fact that Norris dominated the entire weekend suggests that the Brit is the top favorite to win here. Piastri is far behind, while Max is even further. Given that Leclerc doesn’t have what it takes to compete with McLaren and even Mercedes, our bet for this one would be for Lando to win the race. We don’t see anyone apart from Russell who might endanger him, yet we aren’t so sure that Mercedes can catch up if Russell doesn’t start well and breaks out to the second spot. In any other scenario, Norris has an open road and will pretty quickly generate the advantage.

  • Pick: Norris wins

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