Lando Norris edged closer to being crowned champion of the world as he won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and Oscar Piastri finished only fifth after being hit with a 10-second penalty.
A dominant Norris crossed the line in Interlagos 10.3 seconds clear of runner-up Kimi Antonelli, with Max Verstappen third following a remarkable drive by the Red Bull man after he started last but one.
Norris now leads Piastri by 24 points points in the championship standings, while Verstappen is 49 points adrift, with only 83 points to play for across the concluding three rounds.
George Russell held off Piastri to take fourth, while Lewis Hamilton retired with damage he sustained after crashing into the back of Franco Colapinto on lap one to complete a torrid weekend for the seven-time world champion.
Norris' hopes of taking the title appeared in tatters when he broke down in Zandvoort on the final day of August.
Norris trailed Piastri by 34 points but a 58-point swing in his favour over the following six rounds puts him firmly in the driving seat with just races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi to come.
Indeed, Norris can now afford to finish second to Piastri at the final three races, as well as the final sprint round of the season in Qatar, and still take the title.
Norris was untouchable at the previous round in Mexico City, and he has delivered another statement weekend in Sao Paulo, after winning from pole in the sprint race before romping to victory, again from first on the grid, in Sunday’s main event.
Norris’ championship mentality has so often been questioned but, after delivering under pressure to take pole on Saturday, he launched well at the start to comfortably see off Antonelli’s attention heading into the opening bend and then again at the rolling start on lap six after Gabriel Bortleto crashed out.
In Norris’ rear-view mirror, a further boost for the British driver when Piastri, who started fourth, clipped wheels with Antonelli at the safety-car restart. Antonelli thudded into Charles Leclerc and the Ferrari man was out with suspension damage.
"He left me with no space," protested Piastri, who was now up to second, but he was dealt a 10-second penalty which he served at his pit-stop and was eighth when he emerged. He could progress only three spots to leave his title hopes hanging by a thread.
After he qualified 16th, Verstappen said "you can forget" about the title. Verstappen’s car was overhauled – including a new engine – overnight in one final bid to keep him in the title race.
That meant a pit-lane start and, despite having to stop at the end of the seventh lap with a suspected puncture, he swatted his way through the field in typical Verstappen style.
On lap 51, he briefly led the race. Surely he could not do the unthinkable and make his medium tyres, having stopped for a second time on lap 34, make it to the end? The answer arrived just four laps later when Verstappen pitted for a new set of softs. That put him in fourth, a place clear of Piastri, and with the two Silver Arrows up ahead.
Verstappen drove round the outside of Russell with eight laps to go and Antonelli was only 2.5 seconds up the road. However, the Italian teenager stood firm to deny Verstappen second place.
