Lando Norris took a major step towards a first Formula 1 world championship with a controlled victory in Sunday's dramatic Sao Paulo Grand Prix, extending his lead over McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri to 24 points with three rounds remaining.

Norris won by 10.388 seconds from Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli at Interlagos, completing a perfect weekend after also winning Saturday's sprint race from pole position. It was the Englishman's seventh win of the season and the 11th of his career.

Max Verstappen stole much of the attention with a remarkable drive to third. The Red Bull driver started from the pit lane, suffered an early puncture that dropped him to 18th, and still fought his way onto the podium, finishing just 0.362 seconds behind Antonelli after passing George Russell on lap 63.

Incident-filled race at Interlagos

Norris made a clean start from his 15th career pole and led Antonelli into the first corner, but the race exploded into life behind them. Home favourite Gabriel Bortoleto crashed into the barriers after being clipped by Lance Stroll, bringing out the safety car, while Lewis Hamilton lost his front wing in the early chaos.

Worse followed for Ferrari on the restart. Piastri attacked Antonelli for second place, the Mercedes bounced into Charles Leclerc's Ferrari, and Leclerc was forced out of the race. Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty for the collision, a sanction that ended his hopes of limiting the damage to his title challenge.

Verstappen, meanwhile, was carving through the field. He pitted for medium tyres after his puncture, rejoined 18th, and was already ninth by lap 18 and fourth by lap 25. Norris pitted from the lead on lap 31 for soft tyres and rejoined behind Verstappen in fourth, before sweeping past the Dutchman on lap 33 to regain third.

Norris controls the closing laps

After nine laps in the lead, Piastri pitted for soft tyres and served his penalty, emerging in eighth, while Ferrari retired Hamilton's damaged car. Norris pitted again for mediums on lap 51 and came out third as Verstappen briefly inherited the lead, with Piastri second before he too came in and emerged seventh.

Verstappen pitted on lap 55 to rejoin fourth on soft tyres, ahead of Piastri, and set about chasing down the Mercedes pair. He passed Russell for third at the start of lap 63, but Antonelli held firm under intense pressure in the closing laps to secure second place.

Russell finished fourth in the second Mercedes, ahead of Piastri in fifth. Rookies Oliver Bearman, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar impressed in sixth, seventh and eighth for Haas and Racing Bulls, while Nico Hulkenberg was ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly took the final point in 10th for Alpine.

Title race heads to Las Vegas

Norris now has 390 points, ahead of Piastri on 366 and Verstappen on 341, with the Las Vegas Grand Prix next in two weeks' time. The McLaren driver dedicated his win to Gil de Feran, the former driver who mentored him early in his career and has since died.

"I was pushing and it was an amazing race," Norris said. "It's so nice to win in Brazil at this amazing track and amazing fans. This is for Gil. My mentor a few years ago. A perfect weekend."

Asked about the championship, he added: "I'm not thinking about it, not yet, not at all. It's a great win, but to see Max and how quick he was today. That's where my mind is at. And there is a long way to go."

Verstappen was proud of his recovery drive. "The race was full of action and I didn't expect to finish on the podium after starting from the pit-lane and having a puncture," he said. "An incredible result to be proud of. We never give up." Antonelli, who resisted Verstappen's late charge, said: "It was very stressful in the last few laps with Max on fresh tyres but I stayed cool to take P2."