Guide to 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend as a titanic F1 title battle heads to Brazil.
Lando Norris arrives in Sao Paulo with a slender one-point lead over his McLaren teammate and title rival, Oscar Piastri, whilst Red Bull’s Max Verstappen sits just 36 points behind the Brit as F1 hits Interlagos.
Across in the constructors’ standings, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull are split by just ten points in their race for the vice-champion honour behind champions – McLaren.
Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto meanwhile will race at his home event for the first time in F1 machinery as he approaches the end of a solid rookie season.
Now, here is everything that you need to know ahead of 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Track Guide
Laps: 71
Race Distance: 305.909km
Tyre Compounds: C2, C3 & C4
Schedule
| Date | Session | Time (GMT) |
| Friday 7 November | Practice | 2:30pm |
| Friday 7 November | Sprint Shootout | 6:30pm |
| Saturday 8 November | Sprint Race | 2:00pm |
| Saturday 8 November | Qualifying | 6:00pm |
| Sunday 9 November | Race | 5:00pm |
Four Key Pointers
- With rain forecast during the weekend, timing could well play a part in both Qualifying sessions whilst setup will be key to maximising race performance in both sprint and GP which are both forecast to potentially have different weather conditions.
- McLaren will be favourites coming into this weekend but will face tough competition from Verstappen who has a strong record at this race.
- The last two Sprints in Brazil has thrown up interesting tyre strategies between the soft and medium tyres so expect similar again, although expect hard and medium tyres to be favoured for main race if dry
- With several slow and medium speed corners, it will be crucial to ensure that cars are set up to maximise traction but they will need to find balance for maximising straight line speed too.
Last Time Out
Norris won the sprint in 2024 following a swap of positions with Piastri who had led from pole position, and the Brit went on to take pole for the main race after Qualifying was postponed to Sunday morning due to rain and featured five red flag incidents.
Verstappen however drove a strategic opening stint in wet conditions as other drivers pitted which saw him benefit from a red flag on lap 32 after Franco Colapinto crashed, as he went from 17th on the grid to take first on lap 43 and ultimately victory in a sensational drive.