Sao Paulo Grand Prix: Verstappen wins sprint race

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen drove to a comfortable victory in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix sprint race after passing Lando Norris’ McLaren at the start.

Norris slipped back to third on the first lap behind George Russell’s Mercedes but re-passed him on lap five.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez recovered from dropping behind Russell and team-mate Lewis Hamilton to finish third.

The Mexican, under pressure after a series of difficult races, dropped to fifth on the first lap from third on the grid, losing out to Russell at the first corner and then being passed by Hamilton around the outside at Turn Four.

Perez re-passed Hamilton at Turn Four for fourth and then set off after Russell.

They exchanged places twice on lap eight, Perez passing Russell into Turn One and then Russell retaking the position, like Hamilton on the first lap around the outside of Turn Four.

But two laps later, Perez made a move stick into Turn One and was able to secure third place.

Russell hung on to fourth place, his pace fading as the race ran its distance, but Hamilton, also struggling, slipped behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who took fifth with three laps to go.

Hamilton then had to take on Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, who passed the seven-time champion for sixth place with two laps to go and set off after Leclerc, crossing the line right on the Ferrari’s tail.

Behind Hamilton, five seconds adrift of Tsunoda, Ricciardo in the second Alpha Tauri chased Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz across the line, the Spaniard securing the final point. (BBC)