Formula One, MotoGP: Norris and Bezzecchi deliver statement wins in Sao Paulo and Valencia

In the sacred land of Ayrton Senna, spectacular racing feels almost inevitable. Last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix only strengthened that belief. In treacherous, rain-soaked conditions, Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass in control and conviction, charging from 17th on the grid to a commanding victory at Interlagos.

By the chequered flag, he had completed one of Formula One’s great recoveries, which all but marked the end of Lando Norris’ valiant title pursuit, as the reigning world champion once again proved untouchable when it mattered most.

A year later, the storied circuit was the perfect stage for an overtaking fest, some rewarding and some repenting. For Norris, the inability to brave pressure situations had proven costly all too many times, but he showed the world that he can, and has, become a changed competitor.

Calm, composed, and perfectly in tune with his McLaren, he stayed clear of the high-octane action just behind. There was never the haunting sight of the Dutchman in his mirrors as Norris coasted to his 11th victory, grabbing the maximum 33 points available in the weekend.

The double triumph — in the sprint and main race — extended his lead over a struggling Oscar Piastri, whose difficult outing left him 24 points behind at the top and only 25 ahead of Verstappen in third.

Pitlane, puncture, podium

While Norris stood atop the podium, admiration flowed for the man on the third step — Verstappen. To rebound from his worst qualifying in years and complete a rare pitlane-to-podium drive was no small feat. Overcoming an early puncture, he mounted an unforgettable charge through the field, keeping himself firmly in title contention.

A disappointing 16th place in Saturday’s qualifying had confirmed Red Bull’s setup woes. The team seized the opportunity to implement radical changes and install a new engine, resulting in a compulsory pitlane start. But memories of his P17-to-P1 charge at this very circuit last year lingered. With that confidence and “nothing to lose”, Verstappen attacked relentlessly, picking off rivals one by one until only two cars separated him from the lead.

Approaching in red-hot form, any driver would be wary of the imminent threat they would be coming under, but not young Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver showed remarkable composure to fend off the Dutchman and secure a career-best second place. The tension between them melted away in a heartfelt post-race embrace.

For Antonelli, it was a defining result; for Verstappen, another testament to his fighting spirit. And for Norris, it was a statement win that all but reshaped the championship narrative, one that saw him playing catch-up a few weeks ago.

Uphill task

For Piastri, a bright start to the season has gradually faded since the weekend in Monza. The McLaren driver admitted that his mindset heading into Baku, the next event, wasn’t ideal, shaped in part by the fallout from Italy, where team orders created friction within the garage.

Letting Norris through then has had lasting repercussions. Five races later, that decision seems to have snowballed into a string of frustrations. In Azerbaijan, an early crash compounded the pressure — the culmination of what Piastri described as a “perfect storm” that disrupted both his rhythm and confidence. Since then, he has struggled to fully recover.

Heading into Brazil, he trailed Norris by just a single point, but a costly mistake in the sprint changed that. After hitting the wall early in the session, the gap grew to nine points, leaving Sunday as a potential turning point. Starting fourth kept him in the mix, but during a Safety Car restart, Piastri took a bold lunge on Antonelli, and the move backfired. The two made contact, sending Antonelli into Charles Leclerc, who was attempting to pass around the outside. The collision ended the Ferrari driver’s race and earned Piastri a debated 10-second penalty.

He recovered to finish fifth, having last stood on the podium five races ago. But Piastri knew that the result was nowhere near enough. With just three Grand Prix races and one sprint remaining, the 24-year-old needs to rediscover his early-season form and perhaps rely on a touch of fortune if he hopes to catch Norris and keep the championship fight alive.

MotoGP

Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi (right closed out the 2025 MotoGP season with back-to-back statement wins to cap a fine end to his year.

At the concluding Valencia round, the 27-year-old sealed third place in the championship in the sprint and edged out Raul Fernandez in the main race to celebrate in style.

Bezzecchi also triumphed the previous weekend in Portugal as Aprilia sealed back-to-back Grand Prix victories for the first time. The Italian’s third place also gave Aprilia its first top-three championship finish.

While Marc Marquez had clinched his seventh world title with five events to spare in Japan in September, his brother Alex sealed second place overall in October, wrapping up a memorable year for Ducati and the Marquez family.

Published on Nov 19, 2025