Lando Norris takes major F1 title step as Oscar Piastri faces latest setback – Brazilian GP Winners and Losers

Lando Norris completed the perfect São Paulo Grand Prix by topping every session, to extend his lead in the F1 drivers' title to 24 points. 

Everything worked to Norris' advantage in Brazil, with Oscar Piastri having endured another difficult weekend, while Max Verstappen suffered a rare Q1 exit. 

It was also a significant grand prix in the battle for second in the constructors' standings, as well as in the extremely tight midfield scrap for sixth. 

There were stories throughout the eventful Interlagos Sprint weekend, but it is very much Norris who is the driver to beat. 

So, who has made the RacingNews365 list of winners and losers for the 2025 F1 São Paulo Grand Prix?

Winner - Lando Norris

Lando Norris is edging ever closer to become the 2025 F1 world champion. Back-to-back perfect grands prix in Mexico City and São Paulo has put him on the brink of dethroning Max Verstappen.

To say Norris' performance in Brazil was anything other than perfect would be completely unfair, given the McLaren driver quite literally topped almost every single session.

Free practice, SQ1, SQ3, the Sprint race, Q1, Q2, Q3 and the grand prix, Norris was first in them all. Only Fernando Alonso going fastest in SQ2 ruined Norris' 100% record in Brazil. 

Ultimately, it did not matter, as he once again delivered a faultless performance, while his rivals crumbled. 

Piastri crashing out of the sprint and then finishing fifth in the race following a heavy penalty has put Norris in the driving seat to become world champion. Will he now start to feel the pressure?

Loser - Oscar Piastri

Pressure is something it appears Piastri is certainly now feeling, following another grand prix where costly mistakes were made. 

Not only was Piastri again slower than Norris across all sessions, he made uncharacteristic mistakes which have hurt his title hopes.

Piastri crashed out of the sprint race after dipping a wheel onto a wet kerb, making him a passenger as his MCL39 went into the barrier on the outside of the third corner. 

It represented Piastri's fourth crash since Azerbaijan, raising serious doubts over whether he can handle the pressure of fighting for a title. 

While his 10-second time penalty in the race for being judged at fault for causing a collision with Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc is debatable, the outcome is he now sits 24 points behind Norris.

Winner - Mercedes

Mercedes scored huge points in Brazil and have taken a significant step towards securing second in the constructors' standings. 

Antonelli's best performance yet saw him finish the sprint and the grand prix in second, while George Russell finished third in the sprint and fourth in the grand prix. 

It has seen Mercedes move 32 points clear of Red Bull and 36 points ahead of Ferrari with three races remaining, putting the Silver Arrows in the best position to seal second. 

Crucially, Antonelli showed super pace throughout the weekend in Interlagos, showcasing several different aspects of his talent which had rarely been seen across the same event.

Loser - Ferrari

Ferrari's season continues to be a case of one step forwards, two steps back. A double-retirement in Brazil has put the Scuderia in a worrying position, with second being almost out of reach. 

Leclerc had looked competitive in Brazil and was hugely unfortunate to be taken out in the Piastri-Antonelli incident, but knew the risk he was taking attempting an overtake on the outside. 

As for Lewis Hamilton, it was a horrid weekend which saw him make several mistakes, in particular driving into the back of Franco Colapinto. 

That error, ultimately, ended the seven-time world champion's race, as the floor damage he sustained made his SF-25 undrivable. The outcome: Ferrari has fallen to fourth in the standings and 36 points behind second-placed Mercedes.

Winner - Oliver Bearman

Oliver Bearman is enjoying some incredible form, securing a second consecutive top-six finish in Brazil after his heroic performance in Mexico.

Following on from his P4 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Bearman delivered another exceptional performance to secure sixth in Interlagos. 

As a result, Haas finds itself just 12 points adrift of Racing Bulls in the battle for sixth, while he is only three points off ninth in the drivers' standings. 

Bearman has endured some mixed results in his full rookie season, but has started to show a level of consistency and speed which will certainly be catching Ferrari's eye.

Loser - Gabriel Bortoleto

It was a home disaster for poor Gabriel Bortoleto, who crashed out of both the sprint and the grand prix. 

His final lap sprint crash was one of the biggest in recent years, with him having sustained a shocking 57G impact with the barrier which destroyed his Stake F1 car. 

Unsurprisingly, his car was not ready for qualifying, much to the disappointment of his home supporters. 

Unfortunately, his weekend worsened after crashing out of Sunday's race on the first lap, cementing what was arguably Bortoleto's worst grand prix of the year so far.