P1racenews AI automatic summary:
This weekend’s São Paulo GP has an unbelievable 2024 edition of the race to live up to, where Max Verstappen was supreme in horrific conditions.
The 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix provides interesting comparisons to the current championship situation. Max Verstappen initially dominated the season, but his Red Bull team lost development advantage over time. McLaren faced its own upgrade challenges, leading to Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s first grand prix wins.
Verstappen held a 47-point lead over Norris heading into the São Paulo GP, but momentum favored Norris for a comeback. Statistics showed Norris outscoring Verstappen post-Dutch Grand Prix, with the gap narrowing in Mexico.
McLaren arrived confident at Interlagos, with Piastri securing sprint pole and Norris starting alongside. Piastri strategically ceded the sprint race to Norris to support his title bid. Verstappen finished third but got demoted to fourth post-race.
After the sprint, Norris trailed Verstappen by 44 points, as qualifying was moved to Sunday due to heavy rain, adding complexity to the weekend, a rare occurrence since Japan 2019.
