Lando Norris expressed his gratitude towards his former mentor Gil de Ferran following his triumph at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Securing victory from pole position at Interlagos solidified Norris’s position as the frontrunner for the Formula 1 championship, now leading his teammate Oscar Piastri by 24 points with only three races remaining.
The championship standings were momentarily set aside by Norris as he dedicated the win to De Ferran, the late Brazilian IndyCar racer who tragically passed away in December 2023 due to a heart attack while participating in a private motorsport event in Florida. De Ferran had played pivotal roles at McLaren as a sporting director and advisor, leaving a lasting impact on Norris, who honored him after his remarkable win in Brazil.
In a touching tribute, Norris remarked, “This victory is for Gil, one of my mentors who passed away a couple of years ago. I’m certain he would be immensely proud of this achievement. It was on my mind throughout the race. A flawless weekend.”
While Norris celebrated his crucial victory in the title race, the spotlight also shone on Max Verstappen’s exceptional performance. Starting from the pit lane after technical adjustments following a disappointing qualifying session, Verstappen showcased remarkable driving skills to finish third, less than 11 seconds behind Norris at the checkered flag.
Despite his triumph, Norris acknowledged Verstappen’s impressive pace, expressing disappointment in his own team’s performance relative to the Red Bull driver. Determined to analyze the situation further, Norris emphasized the need to understand the reasons behind their pace deficit and to stay focused on continuous improvement.
Piastri, finishing in fifth place, gathered ten points compared to Norris’s 25-point haul. Another standout performance came from British rookie Oliver Bearman, securing sixth place for Haas and contributing valuable points in their pursuit of Aston Martin in the constructors’ championship battle.
In other news, Sky has enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle by adding HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu, in addition to 135 channels and comprehensive Formula 1 coverage. Sky’s coverage includes live broadcasts of every practice session, qualifying round, and race throughout the season, alongside exclusive content featuring the Premier League, EFL, darts, and golf.
