Formula 1 was back in Brazil for one of the most anticipated weekends of any World Championship, and this year the title fight was reaching a boiling point with just four rounds remaining. The 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos brought extra drama as a Sprint weekend, meaning twice the chances for glory—and disaster—in front of one of the most passionate crowds in motorsport. After a short breather following Lando Norris’ victory in Mexico over Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, the paddock was now braced for the unpredictable mix of speed, strategy, and São Paulo weather that so often defines this late-season classic.
Few venues capture the essence of Formula 1 like Interlagos—a circuit steeped in F1 history, emotion, and chaos. The grandstands still echo with the chants for Ayrton Senna, while Lewis Hamilton, an honorary citizen since 2022, continues to command local adoration. But this year, the spotlight also shone on a new Brazilian hope: Gabriel Bortoleto, who would make his home race debut to a thunderous welcome, celebrating the first time in nearly a decade that the crowd had a homegrown driver to cheer. With a Sprint to spice up Saturday and the ever-present threat of rain looming over the hills of São Paulo, fans were expecting another weekend of pure unpredictability—exactly what the 2025 championship battle deserved.
Race Guide
Season: 2025 F1 World Championship
Race weekend: 7 November 2025 – 9 November 2025
Race date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Race start time: 14:00 local time
Circuit: Interlagos – Autodromo Jose Carlo Pace
Laps: 71
Circuit length: 4.309km
2024 winner: Max Verstappen
| Pole position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | TBC | TBC | |
| Time | TBC | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | TBC | TBC | |
| Time | TBC | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | TBC | TBC | |
| Second | TBC | TBC | |
| Third | TBC | TBC | |
The Autódromo José Carlos Pace, better known as Interlagos, remains one of Formula 1’s most characterful and unpredictable circuits. Measuring just 2.677 miles (4.309 km) with 15 corners packed into a compact, undulating layout, it’s a track that demands rhythm, bravery, and mechanical grip in equal measure. The Senna S at Turn 1—named after Brazil’s legendary icon—offers one of the best overtaking zones in the sport, setting up a thrilling drag race down to Turn 4, where drivers often go side-by-side as the circuit plunges downhill. The middle sector is tight and technical, a sequence that punishes even the smallest mistake, before the field slingshots through Juncão (Turn 12) and powers up the hill toward the finish line. That stretch remains etched in F1 folklore—Lewis Hamilton’s last-lap overtake of Timo Glock in 2008 still stands as one of the most dramatic moments in championship history.
And then there’s the weather—the ultimate wildcard at Interlagos. The São Paulo skies are notorious for turning a sunny afternoon into a storm within minutes, and rain is again forecast for all three days of running. Thunderstorms, shifting wind, and sudden showers have forced schedule chaos before—last year’s qualifying session was delayed and rescheduled amid torrential downpours—and this weekend could deliver more of the same. Whether it’s dry or drenched, Interlagos guarantees unpredictability to the very last lap.
Interlagos Stats
Brazil has long been a cornerstone of Formula 1 history, as of 2025, it had hosted 51 World Championship Grands Prix—47 under the Brazilian Grand Prix banner and the last four rebranded as the São Paulo Grand Prix. The country’s racing heart beats at Interlagos, officially the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, which had staged 41 races since its debut in 1973 (as of 2025). Only a handful took place elsewhere—specifically at Rio de Janeiro’s Jacarepaguá circuit in 1978 and between 1981 and 1989—but Interlagos has always embodied the spirit of Brazilian motorsport: unpredictable, emotional, and dramatic.
Before the 2025 race, among the legends who’ve conquered these undulating 15 turns, Michael Schumacher stood tall with four victories and an incredible ten podiums to his name—the benchmark for success at this venue. Should either Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen triumph at this event, they would draw level with the German’s record, further cementing their status in Interlagos folklore. On the team front, Ferrari led the way with nine wins, narrowly ahead of McLaren on eight. Interlagos has also proven a stage for career milestones—most notably George Russell’s maiden Grand Prix victory in 2022.
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 7 November 2025 | Free Practice 1 (FP1) | 11:30 am to 12:30 pm local time |
| 7 November 2025 | Sprint Qualifying | 3:30 pm to 4:14 pm local time |
| 8 November 2025 | Sprint | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm local time |
| 8 November 2025 | Qualifying | 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm local time |
| 9 November 2025 | Race | 2:00 pm local time |
In Friday Sprint Qualifying, Lando Norris continued where he had left off in FP1, maintaining his championship title charge by taking pole in São Paulo with a stunning 1:09.243, beating Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri. Norris’s pace was unmatched through all three segments, while Lewis Hamilton missed out on SQ3 in P11 and faced a post-session investigation for ignoring yellow flags during teammate, Charles Leclerc’s spin.
In Saturday’s Sprint race…
In Saturday qualifying…
In Sunday’s race…
Championship background
The 2025 F1 World Championship arrived in São Paulo with a title fight that was tighter—and more unpredictable—than ever. Lando Norris reclaimed the championship lead for the first time since April with a commanding victory in Mexico City, capitalising on his team-mate’s misfortune while Oscar Piastri endured another difficult weekend. Yet only one point separated the McLaren pair, with Max Verstappen still looming just 36 points adrift—close enough to strike if the unpredictable chaos of Interlagos delivered one of its trademark shake-ups. With four rounds remaining, every lap, pit call, and Sprint point now carried championship-defining weight.
Interlagos is no stranger to such drama. From title deciders to last-lap heartbreaks, the circuit’s twisting layout and volatile weather have shaped Formula 1 history time and again. The last Sprint weekend of 2025, in Austin, saw Ferrari’s strongest collective showing of the year—Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing third and fourth respectively—proof that the Scuderia could yet play spoiler in the championship fight. Hamilton himself understands how to conjure magic here, having stormed from the back to win the 2021 São Paulo Grand Prix, as he continued to chase his first Ferrari podium.
Race entries
The lineup of drivers and teams remained the same as the 2025 season’s entry list, apart from:
- A driver swap at the sister teams, Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, where Yuki Tsunoda moved up to the parent Red Bull team and Liam Lawson headed in the opposite direction back to Racing Bulls, for round three at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix.
- Jack Doohan stepping out of the race seat at Alpine (post Miami), beginning with the following round, the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The team confirmed that former Williams and Alpine reserve driver, Franco Colapinto, would take his place alongside number one driver, Pierre Gasly.
Aside from these changes, all the drivers from the start of the season took to the track during FP1, Sprint Qualifying, Sprint, Qualifying, and the Grand Prix.
Tyre choices
For the 2025 race, Pirelli opted for a familiar but slightly tougher tyre selection, bringing the C2, C3, and C4 compounds as Hard, Medium, and Soft respectively—one step harder than the range used in 2024. The choice harks back to the 2023 setup, designed to give teams greater durability over Interlagos’ demanding 2.677-mile layout, where steep elevation changes and constant traction zones can quickly chew through rubber. Last year, the freshly resurfaced track produced unexpectedly high levels of rear-axle wear and graining during dry sessions, even on the Medium and Hard compounds, despite the smoother, less abrasive asphalt. This season, with the surface naturally aged and grip levels slightly evolved, Pirelli’s harder allocation was aimed at stabilising performance over longer runs and could open the door for the Soft tyre to play a genuine strategic role—especially if the Sprint remained dry.
That was a big “if.” Interlagos is infamous for its unpredictable climate, and wet-weather tyres have often defined race outcomes here. In 2024, the Grand Prix was completely rain-soaked, forcing all drivers to start on Intermediates before a mid-race red flag due to intensifying rain. Only five cars ever touched Full Wets, and the dry compounds never saw action. Should the 2025 event unfold under clearer skies, strategy would hinge on tyre management: a two-stop race would likely be optimal, balancing degradation with track position. But as always in São Paulo, tyre strategy would ultimately take a back seat to one thing—the weather’s next move.
FIND OUT MORE
Free Practice
Lando Norris topped the times in São Paulo’s only practice session, narrowly ahead of team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri, as McLaren continued their dominance in the Drivers’ Championship. The hour-long FP1 was packed with action, including Yuki Tsunoda’s early crash and a standout performance from local favourite Gabriel Bortoleto, who finished fifth for Kick Sauber.
Full Free Practice Reports
Free Practice 1 Classification
FP1 of the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix was held on 7 November 2025 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm local time.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:09.975 | 30 |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.023s | 32 |
| 3 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | +0.619s | 31 |
| 4 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.631s | 25 |
| 5 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | +0.641s | 31 |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.670s | 34 |
| 7 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.706s | 32 |
| 8 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +0.711s | 35 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.732s | 30 |
| 10 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.769s | 36 |
| 11 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.819s | 35 |
| 12 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +0.832s | 34 |
| 13 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | +0.931s | 28 |
| 14 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | +0.986s | 31 |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.095s | 30 |
| 16 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.185s | 29 |
| 17 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +1.393s | 31 |
| 18 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +1.518s | 29 |
| 19 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +1.551s | 28 |
| 20 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | +1.788s | 19 |
Sprint Qualifying
Lando Norris delivered a statement performance in Sprint Qualifying at Interlagos, securing pole position for the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Sprint with a superb 1:09.243 lap. The McLaren driver edged Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli by just 0.097s, while Oscar Piastri completed a strong showing for the McLaren team in third. It was Norris’s first Sprint pole of the 2025 championship and the fourth of his career, continuing his impressive run of form as the title fight heightened. The session saw drama from the outset, with Carlos Sainz exiting early in SQ1 after a lock-up, and Lewis Hamilton missing out on SQ3 in P11—the Ferrari driver facing a stewards’ investigation for a yellow flag infringement during Charles Leclerc’s spin.
In the final segment, Norris produced two near-perfect laps on soft tyres to seal top spot, as Antonelli came agonisingly close. George Russell backed up Mercedes’ pace in fourth, followed by Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen, who appeared frustrated with his run to sixth. Lance Stroll secured his best Sprint grid slot of the year in seventh, ahead of Leclerc, Isack Hadjar, and Nico Hülkenberg.
Full Qualifying Report
Sprint Qualifying Classification
Sprint Qualifying for the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix was held on 7 November 2025 from 3:30 pm to 4:14 pm local time.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:09.627 | 1:09.373 | 1:09.243 | 20 |
| 2 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:10.381 | 1:09.504 | 1:09.340 | 16 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:10.017 | 1:09.416 | 1:09.428 | 19 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:10.048 | 1:09.384 | 1:09.495 | 16 |
| 5 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:10.011 | 1:09.330 | 1:09.496 | 12 |
| 6 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:09.975 | 1:09.707 | 1:09.580 | 15 |
| 7 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:10.326 | 1:09.647 | 1:09.671 | 15 |
| 8 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:10.324 | 1:09.732 | 1:09.725 | 19 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:10.095 | 1:09.608 | 1:09.775 | 15 |
| 10 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 1:10.333 | 1:09.735 | 1:09.935 | 15 |
| 11 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:10.224 | 1:09.811 | 14 | |
| 12 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:10.275 | 1:09.813 | 12 | |
| 13 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:10.097 | 1:09.852 | 12 | |
| 14 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 1:10.217 | 1:09.923 | 12 | |
| 15 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 1:10.066 | 1:09.946 | 12 | |
| 16 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:10.441 | 6 | ||
| 17 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:10.666 | 5 | ||
| 18 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 1:10.692 | 6 | ||
| 19 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 1:10.872 | 6 | ||
| 20 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:11.120 | 6 |
2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Sprint Starting Grid
The Sprint starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying session.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:09.243 |
| 2 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:09.340 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:09.428 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:09.495 |
| 5 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:09.496 |
| 6 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:09.580 |
| 7 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:09.671 |
| 8 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:09.725 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:09.775 |
| 10 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 1:09.935 |
| 11 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:09.811 |
| 12 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:09.813 |
| 13 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:09.852 |
| 14 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 1:09.923 |
| 15 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 1:09.946 |
| 16 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:10.441 |
| 17 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:10.666 |
| 18 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 1:10.692 |
| 19 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 1:10.872 |
| 20 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:11.120 |
Sprint Race
Full report post-session.
Sprint Race Classification
The 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Sprint Race was held on 8 November 2025, at 11:00 am – 12:00 pm local time.
Qualifying
Full report post-session.
Full Qualifying Report
Qualifying Classification
Qualifying for the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix was held on 8 November 2025 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm local time.
2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Qualifying session.
What happened in the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix?
Full race report post-session.
2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Race Results
The 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Race was held on 9 November 2025 at 2:00 pm local time.
2025 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings for Drivers’ and Teams after the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix.
2025 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings
2025 Post-Race F1 Constructors’ Championship Standings
Seen in:
