Verstappen primed as McLaren duel resumes in Brazil

Formula One champion Max Verstappen showed in Brazil last year, winning from 17th on the grid, that he can never be counted out but McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri need no reminding of that in Sao Paulo this weekend.

The battle at the top between Norris and Piastri is on a knife-edge with four rounds remaining, with the Briton a point clear of the Australian.

Norris has momentum, despite insisting he does not believe in that, and has beaten his teammate in the last five races - although they collided in the most recent sprint in Austin.

But Piastri showed signs of a comeback and return to form in the Mexico race, if not qualifying, and with a Saturday sprint also in the mix in Brazil and paying extra points the gap is set to widen one way or another.

"Brazil is a great opportunity to score some big points, especially with the sprint race. There is everything still to play for, and preparation for this weekend has been very productive," said the Australian.

BUMPER 33 POINT HAUL TO BE WON

Verstappen will be looking to make inroads of his own with a bumper 33 point haul to be won from the weekend's two races.

Red Bull's four-times world champion is 36 points behind Norris, after being 104 adrift of then-leader Piastri at the end of August, and Sao Paulo's bowl-like Interlagos circuit is an old favourite.

The Dutch driver - who has family connections to Brazil through his partner Kelly Piquet, daughter of triple champion Nelson - is going for his third successive win there and fourth in all. 

He is also the acknowledged king of the sprints, even though Norris won last year's in Sao Paulo, with more wins - 13 of 22 - in the short format than anyone.

"It can rain heavily there so you can have quite crazy races, especially last