Only four races to go, and the gap between championship leader Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri is just a single point, and Max Verstappen is also in the mix as the title fight intensifies. Formula One (F1) comes to Interlagos for what is expected to be another thriller weekend with chances of rain and thunder, and additional points to grab in the sprint race.
This race is also Gabriel Bortoleto’s home race, and what he has to say ahead of his home debut. This article covers important stories going ahead of the 2025 São Paulo GP.
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Track and Weather for the 2025 São Paulo GP
Formally known as Autódromo José Carlos Pace, it is a pre-World War II circuit that has undergone several changes since then. It features banked corners and is known for its iconic Senna S. The field section has challenging camber changes. There is a 1.2 km drive on full throttle between the exit of Turn 12 and the banking zone of Turn 1, and an elevation change of 33 meters.
The track is one of the anti-clockwise circuits on the calendar. It is the fourth-shortest track, just behind Monaco, Zandvoort, and Mexico. It is 800 m above sea level, making it the second-highest track; the highest is the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez (Mexico City).
The São Paulo GP is always a spectacle, and one of the key factors is its unpredictable weather. This weekend’s weather forecast predicts showers and thunder across the weekend. Saturday’s sprint race is expected to be a wet race, while Sunday’s feature could be affected by light rain.
Will the change in the Championship lead impact the McLaren team dynamics?
In pre-season predictions, it was said that this was supposed to be Lando Norris’s year with the dominant car, and till the Jeddah GP, he led the championship, but Oscar Piastri made it clear through his brilliant form that the championship won’t be served to Norris on a golden platter. He is also a contender, and in Jeddah, he overtook his teammate in the championship lead.
Piastri was ahead of his teammate for 15 rounds. McLaren has made it clear, at least from the official statements, that there is no number one driver and the team provides both drivers with resources to perform at their best and be competitive.
However, in an effort to maintain fairness, the Woking-based outfit has attracted criticism. In several instances, the team has ordered one driver to give space to the teammate, which some argue undermines the competitive spirit of the sport.
In Zandvoort, Lando Norris crashed, and the points deficit between him and his teammate reached 34 points. Piastri was comfortably marching towards the World Drivers’ Championship (WDC).
After the summer break, Oscar Piastri saw a slump in his form and crashed in Baku, and was unable to finish the race. Since then, Lando Norris has finished ahead of him in each race, slowly but steadily working to reduce that points deficit. During the Mexico GP, Norris took the lead back, although just by one point.
Norris and Piastri aren’t the only ones eyeing the WDC title; four-time champion Max Verstappen is also in contention. He took advantage of McLaren’s slump and reduced the more than 100-point difference to just 32 points.
Now with only four races to go, the question arises: will McLaren focus on only one driver to tackle the Verstappen challenge, or will they continue their existing policy? Considering the team’s past, it is unlikely that the team will change things after Norris’s one-point lead.
Thrilling Midfield Battles
Although most focus would be on the drivers’ championship, and with the constructors’ title done and dusted at the top, most will overlook the midfield fight. But many close battles are unfolding to finish high in the constructors’ standings. Even after the championship being sealed, there is a lot to play for, as the higher the teams finish, the more financial incentives they receive in terms of prize money.
Right now, Ferrari occupies the second spot, but their lead is just one point. Behind them is Mercedes. With great form in a few recent races, Red Bull is also hunting for that second spot, currently fourth, but is just four points behind the Maranello-based outfit.
Williams is in fifth position and has almost secured the position with 111 points. The points gap between the lower teams is thin, and battles will be interesting. Racing Bulls are in sixth with 72 points, but there is only a two-point difference between them and Aston Martin, who are in seventh with 69 points. After Haas’ impressive form in Mexico, they also rose in the ranking and have 62 points, and are sitting in eighth place. Just two points separate them from ninth-place Sauber.
Last year, Alpine was also in a midfield battle, but this year has been disappointing, and the team has managed to score just 20 points in 20 races so far.
Gabriel Bortoleto’s First Home Race
After last year’s São Paulo GP, Sauber announced that Gabriel Bortoleto would be joining the team for the 2025 season. The 21-year-old has come a long way since then and has impressed fans and critics alike.
Currently, the Brazilian is 19th in the standings, but the standings don’t tell the full story. When you consider the car he has, his form is worth appreciation. Some of the significant moments in his short F1 career so far include a P6 finish in Hungary and two P8 finishes in Austria and Monza.
A home race presents unique challenges, especially when you are coming from a country where F1 legends such as Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, and Emerson Fittipaldi come from.
In a recent interview for the official F1 website, he talked about his feelings ahead of his home debut. “It will be insane, man. Brazilian people are, for me, the best.” When asked whether he had started thinking about it, he replied, “I really want to go race in Brazil, and feel the atmosphere there, and be with the fans and everyone, definitely.”
