In an action-packed 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Sprint, McLaren’s Lando Norris claimed his first-ever Sprint victory after a strategic pass on team-mate Oscar Piastri in the final laps. The race, held at the Autódromo Carlos Pace, saw Red Bull’s Max Verstappen cross the line in third place, but post-race drama led to a five-second penalty that dropped him to fourth, allowing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to inherit the podium position.
McLaren Dominates Early On
The Sprint began with both McLaren drivers getting excellent starts. Polesitter Oscar Piastri held onto the lead, successfully defending against Lando Norris, who slotted into second place. Behind them, Leclerc managed to fend off Verstappen’s attempts to overtake, maintaining third position through the early laps.
As the race settled in, Norris found himself falling back slightly due to the dirty air from his teammate’s car. In a tactical move, Piastri was instructed by the McLaren pit wall to drop back and offer Norris the DRS advantage to maintain pace, helping to keep the charging Verstappen at bay.
Verstappen’s Charge and Leclerc’s Struggles
By mid-race, Verstappen began to close the gap on Leclerc as the Ferrari driver struggled with tyre wear on his Mediums. On lap 18, Leclerc made a small mistake in the Senna S, which allowed Verstappen to get a DRS-assisted run down to Turn 4, overtaking him with a forceful move around the outside to take third place.
With McLaren leading and Verstappen pushing hard to close the gap, a potential battle for the win loomed. However, a sudden turn of events changed the race’s complexion when Haas driver Nico Hülkenberg stopped on track, prompting fears of a Safety Car.
McLaren’s Strategy Pays Off
Anticipating the possibility of a Safety Car, the McLaren pit wall made the call to switch positions between their two drivers. As the race reached the final stages, Piastri moved aside, allowing Norris to take the lead just before the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed to handle Hülkenberg’s stranded car.
The race resumed under VSC, freezing the gaps between the leading trio. Verstappen closed in on Piastri but ran out of time to mount a serious challenge for second place. When the VSC was lifted on the final lap, Verstappen’s aggressive push on Piastri came too late, and the Dutchman crossed the line in third place.
Verstappen Penalized Post-Race
However, post-race investigations revealed that Verstappen had breached VSC regulations by failing to stay above the minimum time set out by the FIA during the caution period. After reviewing the data, the stewards handed Verstappen a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage under VSC conditions. As a result, Verstappen dropped to fourth place in the final classification, promoting Leclerc to the podium.
Verstappen also received a penalty point on his racing licence, bringing his total to seven in the current 12-month period. The penalty saw him lose a point to championship rival Lando Norris, reducing his lead to 44 points.
Final Classification
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – after 5-second penalty
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Sergio Pérez (Red Bull)
Key Highlights:
- Norris’ first Sprint win after a strategic swap with Piastri.
- Verstappen’s penalty for breaching VSC rules drops him to fourth.
- Leclerc takes third, securing an important podium for Ferrari.
