Max Verstappen claims Brazilian Grand Prix Sprint victory

Max Verstappen has controlled the Brazilian Grand Prix Sprint race to claim his latest victory of the 2023 season.

The Red Bull driver led from the first corner onwards and was able to finish three seconds ahead of Lando Norris, who can be satisfied with his runners-up spot.

Norris had been hoping to maximise earning pole, but the McLaren soon found himself down in third, initially having been overtaken by Verstappen at the first corner.

By the midway point, Norris would get back up to second, but remaining out of the DRS zone made it difficult for him to apply any real pressure on Verstappen.

LIGHTS OUT FOR THE SAO PAULO SPRINT!

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Verstappen nabs the lead at Turn 1!#BrazilGP #F1Sprint pic.twitter.com/QlaPEHOJwO

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 4, 2023

As the race progressed, the world champion marginally increased his lead, enabling him to cruise home and add a further eight points to his tally.

Third place went to Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, a potentially-important result in the race for second with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton all the way down in seventh.

George Russell, Charles Leclerc and Yuki Tsunoda were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, while Carlos Sainz Jr collected the final point in the second Ferrari.

Perez now holds a 24-point lead over third-placed Hamilton, while Sainz Jr is now one point in front of Fernando Alonso in the race for fourth position.