Hamilton devastated after Brazil unravels, Norris wins but doubts McLaren title credentials, and Russell faces steep Verstappen deficit

Lewis Hamilton described himself as "devastated" following a Brazilian Grand Prix that began with an impressive charge from the back of the grid before unravelling in the closing laps with a spin. The Ferrari driver shared his feelings with fans on Instagram on Monday, while Ferrari also moved to explain the reasons behind his struggles after what had been a stunning early showing. Hamilton said he would be seeking answers from the team as they look to understand what went wrong.

Despite the drama surrounding Hamilton, it was Lando Norris who took victory in mixed conditions at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix — yet the McLaren driver was quick to temper expectations, stating that McLaren are "not at the level to fight for a world championship" despite the dominant win.

In the title picture, George Russell has lost 90 points to Max Verstappen in what is shaping up as a tense 2026 runner-up battle. With three rounds remaining — assuming the Qatar and Abu Dhabi grands prix go ahead as planned — Mercedes is reportedly considering giving Russell "all the force" to secure a 1-2 in the drivers' championship, with no fewer than five drivers still in contention.

Meanwhile, Liam Lawson appears to be fighting his way back into favour at Racing Bulls. Having battled for his future over the recent Americas triple-header, Lawson's performances are said to be swinging the pendulum back in his direction, with the principle for any driver in an uncertain seat being simple: be so good they can't ignore you.

Off the track, a piece of motorsport history changed hands at auction in London. A Honda NSX previously used by three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna sold for £871,250 at RM Sotheby's on 31 October, smashing its pre-sale estimate of between £500,000 and £800,000 and setting a new auction record for the model.