With the F1 season arriving in Brazil with title contention still alive and well, you can always count on the São Paulo Grand Prix to provide an entertaining show.
That’s certainly the case this weekend, with Lando Norris narrowly leading McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to the top of the standings, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen still within striking distance in third place.
Norris has outscored Piastri for five races in a row, turning a 34-point difference into a one-point advantage, while reigning champion Verstappen, who has rejoined the fray since the summer break, trails the Briton by 36 points.
The Interlagos event is one of two remaining sprint weekends over the final four rounds of the season, greatly increasing the potential for drama.
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See how McLaren’s Lando Norris clawed back the gap to take a one-point lead over Piastri after the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Norris will be focused on maintaining his momentum, Piastri will be desperate to stop his surprising decline in form and Verstappen will be waiting to pounce on any opportunity McLaren gives him.
F1 fans can look forward to a thrilling weekend of action live on Sky Sports as the contest continues to be very sensitive. The first competitive session begins Friday night, with sprint qualifying taking place at 6:30 p.m.
What makes Interlagos special?
Interlagos, located on the outskirts of São Paulo, may not be the most glamorous or modern of the 24 circuits on the 2025 F1 calendar, but few fans of the sport would not name it one of their favorite circuits.
There’s a lot to like about Interlagos, but perhaps the most important element is the track, which is sure to provide some great racing.
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A look back at some of the most dramatic moments that happened at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
A long climb up the hill from Suncho leads to a good, if slightly treacherous, overtaking spot at Turn 1, after a left bend and crossing the start/finish line.
However, the battle does not necessarily end there. Because if the driver has enough courage to stay on the outside, he can quickly try to fight back as the car winds past the Senna S. The Senna S is named after legendary three-time Brazilian champion Ayrton, who won at Interlagos in 1991 and 1993.
Further overtaking opportunities follow at Turns 4 and 8. This means that the pace advantage needed for overtaking is much easier to achieve than at many other circuits.
Although this circuit has produced some great racing in dry conditions, race weekends at Interlagos are rarely complete without rain, often with extreme rain that causes all sorts of chaos.
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Kevin Magnussen takes a look back at the 2022 São Paulo GP sprint qualifying that saw him take Haas’ shocking first pole position
The sights and sounds off the track are just as great as on it, and Brazilian F1-crazy fans create an excited atmosphere that contributes to the event’s popularity among drivers.
Fans will enjoy the spectacle of the title race, but the atmosphere will be further enhanced by the fact that Brazilian F1 drivers will be racing at Interlagos for the first time since 2017, with Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortleto making his home debut.
How Brazil played an important role in the 2024 title fight
You only have to go back 12 months to find a prime example of the drama that Interlagos produces.
As Norris looked to chase Verstappen, hopes were high for Norris as he won the sprint, with a little help from Piastri who helped his teammate to victory on the final lap.
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Norris takes pole position at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, raising hopes of winning the title in 2024
Rain then forced qualifying to be postponed until Sunday morning, but a chaotic session saw Norris take pole position and Verstappen knocked out in Q2, leaving the Dutchman with a 44-point championship lead in danger of taking a big dent.
Verstappen dropped to 17th on the grid after opting to install a new engine, but produced the best drive of his career to end a 10-race winless streak and effectively end the title race, making a complete mockery of his doubters.
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Verstappen completed a stunning opening lap at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, making five overtakes before darting late in front of Lewis Hamilton at the start of the second lap
Although he had to wait three weeks to finish his work at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, it was at Interlagos that the Dutchman produced the defining moment of the season.
It’s fair to question whether Norris would have been able to pull off a win and keep the contest alive had it not been for the rain, but the way the weekend and the season completely changed in the space of a few hours perfectly illustrates the unpredictability of Interlagos.
Hamilton’s memorable 2021 fightback
Another occasion in relatively recent F1 history when Sao Paulo had a say in the title race was in 2021 during the epic battle between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who was still at Mercedes.
Sprint Week, introduced to F1 for the first time this year, had a different format, with a single qualifying session setting the sprint grid, and the sprint results setting the Grand Prix grid.
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Stewards investigated this incident between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton during the 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Hamilton chased Verstappen in a thrilling battle and took pole position, but was disqualified from qualifying due to a rear wing violation and had to start the sprint from the back of the grid.
The seven-time world champion had a great run, finishing fifth in the sprint, but with a new engine he had to start the main race in 10th place.
Hamilton raced through the field early on, setting up a race to the finish with Verstappen that would produce some of the most memorable moments of the season.
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Hamilton bounces back from 10th on the grid to take the checkered flag in Brazil with sensational victory
Hamilton was controversially thwarted in his first attempt to pass Verstappen, but he tried again 11 laps later and was successful, sealing the victory and putting the title race firmly in his hands over the final three rounds.
Hamilton was famously denied an eighth title at the final race in Abu Dhabi, but had he won, his performance in Brazil would have been the deciding factor.
Is it time for Norris or Piastri to star in São Paulo?
Looking back a little further, the stakes were even higher at the final race of the season at Interlagos, where Hamilton was on both sides of championship glory and despair.
He finished seventh in the final race of the 2007 season and narrowly missed out on the title in his rookie season by one point, but a year later he dramatically took his first championship by overtaking Timo Glock at the final corner in a rain-drenched finish.
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A look back at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, where Sebastian Vettel won his third world championship by only finishing 4th
Sebastian Vettel, who was part of the drama when Hamilton won in 2008, will have his own memorable moment at Interlagos in 2012.
The German racer dropped to the back of the grid after contact on the first lap, but he recovered to sixth place and won his third consecutive title, beating Fernando Alonso, who was then with Ferrari.
Although no winner will be crowned this Sunday, Norris and Piastri each have the chance to add their names to the list of legends who have produced career-defining performances in Brazil.
F1’s thrilling title race continues in Brazil, with the São Paulo Grand Prix sprint weekend being broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 from this Friday. Stream Sky Sports now – cancel anytime with no contract
