Oscar Piastri hands Lando Norris title boost after crashing out of sprint

Lando Norris’ world championship hopes were handed a major boost after Oscar Piastri crashed out of Saturday’s sprint race in Sao Paulo.

Norris began the race from pole position and was leading before the action was suspended on lap seven of 24 after Piastri hit the barriers at turn three.

Franco Colapinto and Nico Hulkenberg also collided with the wall in the same part of a damp Interlagos track, leading to a safety car, and then a red flag.

Norris started from pole position and was in control of the race when Piastri, running in third, lost control of his McLaren.

Piastri dipped his front-left tyre onto the damp kerb on the exit of the Senna Esses which sent him into a spin and an unavoidable date with the wall.

With Colapinto and Hulkenberg both following Piastri off the track, the race was red-flagged to repair the tyre barrier.

Norris will extend his title advantage to nine points if he wins the 24-lap dash to the flag.