Carlos Sainz will team up with Williams early to drive their FW46 car in next month's post-season test in Abu Dhabi, the constructor has announced.

Sainz agreed to join Williams in July after losing his Ferrari seat to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who stunned the Formula One world by exercising a break clause in his contract with Mercedes earlier this year.

The Spaniard is currently fifth in the drivers' championship standings, with his two race wins for the year coming in Australia and Mexico.

On Friday, Williams confirmed he will join the team for post-season testing on December 10, two days after the campaign ends with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

"This early opportunity will allow both Carlos and Williams to begin building their relationship," a team statement read.

"The test session will provide a valuable chance for Carlos to begin integrating into his new team environment, and he will drive the FW46 for the first time."

Hamilton is not expected to take part in Ferrari's post-season tests, due to his ongoing commitments with Mercedes.

Carlos Sainz is confident he will continue to fight for Formula 1 wins once he leaves Ferrari for Williams at the end of the season.

The 30-year-old is now in the final stretch of his four-year stint with Ferrari, with whom he has won four races.

Sainz has three more opportunities to add to that number, starting with the Las Vegas GP next week.

While the Spaniard would love to bow out on a high with Ferrari, he does not believe joining Williams will end any hopes of further triumphs.

"Nothing would make me happier than achieving something like that before the end of the year," he said when asked if he's targeting victory across the final three races. 

"I'm going to give it my absolute best. If it comes, great, and I'll be for sure celebrating. And if it doesn't, I don't believe it will be my last chance of fighting for wins or podiums in Formula 1.

"I'll carry on working hard to try to get myself in a position – even if it's with Williams – to put myself in a position to win another race.

"That's what I'm hungry for and that's what I believe I can do, and that's what I've proven that I can do in Ferrari. So, yeah, it doesn't end there."

The most recent of Sainz's victories came at the Mexican Grand Prix last month when bouncing back from losing the lead to Max Verstappen.

Ferrari have not won a title in F1 since 2008 and are 36 points behind McLaren heading into the Las Vegas GP, which is followed by races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

However, Sainz's team-mate Charles Leclerc is hopeful of closing that gap by coming out on top in the States, having himself finished second behind Verstappen on this track last year.

"I think on paper it's a track where we should perform well," he told Sky Sports News.

"However, the fact we have improved a lot with tyre management, means on a track where it is so cold, it will be difficult to put the tyres in the right window.

"On paper, it still looks positive. Maybe not as positive as last year but seeing how close everything is, I believe we will have a shot to win it."

Lewis Hamilton said watching Ferrari and McLaren overhaul Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship has been "quite incredible" ahead of his move to the Italian team. 

Red Bull appeared to be set for another dominant year on track after Max Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races, with team-mate Sergio Perez also securing four podiums. 

However, Red Bull endured a mid-season struggle, with Verstappen failing to win in 10 races before his stunning wet-weather display at the Brazilian Grand Prix last time out. 

The Dutchman is on the cusp of a fourth world championship after title rival Lando Norris could only manage sixth in Interlagos, leaving him 62 points behind in the standings. 

But going into the final three races of the season, Red Bull find themselves third in the constructors' championship, 44 points behind leaders McLaren and 13 adrift of Ferrari. 

Before Verstappen's victory in Brazil, Ferrari had claimed back-to-back victories in the United States and Mexico. 

Charles Leclerc, Hamilton's team-mate for the Scuderia next season, won in Austin to emerge victorious for the eighth time in the competition. 

That triumph was then followed up by a win at the Autrodromo Hermanos Rodriguez by Carlos Sainz, who will make way for Hamilton and join Williams next season. 

And Ferrari's recent displays on track have Hamilton excited about the potential of challenging for an eighth world championship next season. 

"I'm very interested in my future, of course," said Hamilton. "And so, in that respect, keeping an eye, yeah. Watching everything that happens."

"If you look at somewhere like maybe China already, the Red Bull was like a second ahead.

"And it's been quite incredible to see the McLaren rise and then the Ferrari in the last few races, to see their progress and just trying to keep an eye on everyone's car and what they're changing and what they're adding.

"You know, we all watch the video, all the drivers, we all watch the onboard laps and we're always trying to see where we can gain time.

"And there's some cars that just react differently and better or worse in certain areas.

"And you're trying to figure out how you can find that within either your balance or get the team to develop the car in that direction."

Lewis Hamilton says he "could happily go and take a holiday" instead of finishing the season after a dismal showing at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

He made early exits in both qualifying sessions and started the race at Interlagos from 15th on the grid.

However, unlike Max Verstappen, who impressively won the race having started in 17th, the Brit struggled to mount much of a fight, coming away from the weekend with just one point after finishing in 10th.

His performance was made to look worse as team-mate George Russell had been battling for the lead but narrowly missed out on a podium place as he finished fourth.

Hamilton only has three races left with Mercedes before his move to Ferrari next season, bringing an end to their 12-year partnership.

But he was left frustrated in Brazil, expressing his disappointment with the car.

"We were just slow," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "The car was really, really tough. I do really want to say still a big thank you to the guys in the garage. They turned up super early this morning and still did a great job throughout the weekend.

"The team could have won also, so at least one car was behaving a lot better.

"The car is like a plank of wood. It's like no suspension.

"It's bouncing on the tyres everywhere, and you can't get on the power anywhere. It's just the worst ride, I think the worst ride that we've definitely ever had, particularly through corners. It's just so stiff.

"But hopefully we won't have any more bumpy tracks. I think the last three aren't so bumpy. But yeah, I could happily go and take a holiday."

Lando Norris said Max Verstappen benefitted from a rule "no one agrees with" as he won a dramatic Sao Paulo Grand Prix to leave the McLaren's title hopes hanging by a thread.

Verstappen surged to a terrific victory from 17th on the grid in Brazil, with Norris faltering after starting on pole.

Norris and Mercedes' George Russell – who were vying for the lead – both pitted on lap 29, but that strategy backfired as the red flag was shown following a crash involving Franco Colapinto.

With the race suspended, Verstappen was also able to change tires for the restart, negating Norris' advantage from pitting as the world champion raced to a commanding victory.

Norris had cut Verstappen's drivers' championship lead to 44 points by winning Saturday's sprint race but now sits 62 points adrift with just three races of the season remaining. 

The Brit refused to hit out at McLaren's strategy after the race, though, putting his struggles down to bad luck. 

"I have faith in the team in what they are saying and they have trust in me," he told Sky Sports F1. 

"It was just unlucky. I don't care about the hindsight side of things, that's luck for them, nothing more.

"They got lucky on a rule that no one agrees with. Probably they agreed with it today but every driver has disagreed with it in the past.

"Today it benefitted them, it could have benefitted us if we just stayed out, but that's a stupid thing to think of. 

"Just a bit unlucky today, nothing more. Of course, disappointing. Max drove well. He got a bit lucky but that's life."

Max Verstappen revealed he wanted to destroy the Red Bull garage in the hours before he delivered a wet-weather performance for the ages to win the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Verstappen had been left frustrated after Sunday's delayed qualifying session, when a crash by Lance Stroll and subsequent red flag saw him drop out of Q2.

The Dutchman's early exit saw him finish 12th, but a five-place grid penalty for an engine change dropped him to 17th, presenting an opportunity for Lando Norris to take a seismic chunk out of his drivers' championship lead. 

But a determined Verstappen then overcame the rain-affected conditions at Interlagos, climbing to P11 on the very first lap before making his charge into the top 10.

His remarkable comeback, which included five consecutive fastest laps, culminated in him passing Alpine’s Esteban Ocon for the lead on lap 43 before romping to victory.

“My emotions were all over the place, from wanting to destroy the garage (after qualifying) to winning the race,” said Verstappen. “It has been a roller coaster.

“It is unbelievable to win here from so far back on the grid. I was expecting to lose points in the championship.

"Now, I just want clean races. But I am not thinking about clinching the title in Vegas.”

A rain-affected race saw several incidents, with Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto and Carlos Sainz all failing to finish the race.

But Verstappen remained calm in those conditions, snapping his 10-race winless streak, while also becoming the first driver since Kimi Raikkonen at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2005 to emerge victorious after gaining 16 positions.

And the three-time world champion believed his latest win, which was his 62nd in the competition, was his best one to date. 

“The rain came, we stayed out, which was very sketchy, and I had to just keep the car on track,” continued Verstappen.

“It was undriveable in the conditions. I felt like I was driving a boat, or a jet-ski.

“There was a lot at stake because I had to be aware of the championship, so for me this is the best one (victory).

"And it is a massive boost for the team because it has been a tough period.”

Verstappen is now 62 points clear of Norris in the drivers' championship with just 86 points remaining, and can win a fourth consecutive drivers' title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

However, he insisted that the season was far from over, acknowledging he must remain perfect in the final three races to get over the line after an up and down season.

“Now it’s of course a great result, which if you look a few hours ago, was definitely the other way around, looking like we were going to lose a lot of points," he said. 

“So I’m very happy, but still three tough races [to go], so we just need to stay calm and make no mistakes.

Max Verstappen surged to a remarkable victory at a frenetic Sao Paulo Grand Prix, climbing from 17th on the grid to extend his championship lead over Lando Norris. 

Pole-sitter Norris could only manage sixth place after a series of errors on the slippery surface in Brazil, and is now 62 points behind Verstappen in the standings. 

The Dutchman can seal a fourth world title in Las Vegas simply by finishing ahead of Norris, who now needs to take more than 20 points from the final three races. 

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly took the final two podium places to transform Alpine’s season and move the team up from ninth in the constructors’ championship to sixth.

A chaotic, incident-strewn, wet race that involved a red flag, two safety car periods and a series of crashes and incidents, saw the top 10 change throughout the race. 

George Russell, who overtook Norris to take the lead at the first corner, finished fourth, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. 

Oscar Piastri helped McLaren improve their lead in the constructor's fight by finishing eighth, with the RB's of Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson ending just ahead of Lewis Hamilton to round out the top 10. 

Data Debrief: Mad Max edges closer

Verstappen's triumph earned him his 62nd win in Formula One. It is his first in the competition since the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this year, breaking a 10-race winless streak.

And he sealed the win in some style. It is the sixth time in the competition's history that a driver has climbed at least 16 places to end up winning the race, and the first since Kimi Raikkonen in Japan in 2005 (also 16).

Verstappen also set the fastest lap, his third this year. He now has 33 in his career and brings Red Bull to within one of 100 in the competition. 

He is the first driver in F1 history to win from 10 different positions, surpassing the record he previously shared with Fernando Alonso (nine).

Top 10

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

3. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

6. Lando Norris (McLaren)

7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

8. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)

9. Liam Lawson (RB)

10. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. Max Verstappen - 393

2. Lando Norris - 331

3. Charles Leclerc - 307

Constructors'

1. McLaren - 593

2. Ferrari - 557

3. Red Bull - 544

Lando Norris seized pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix by topping a chaotic, postponed qualifying on Sunday, while Max Verstappen will start 17th.

Qualifying was pushed back after heavy rain and thunderstorms prevented it from taking place on Saturday, with the race’s start time also brought forward by 90 minutes.

Five red flags punctuated a chaotic session as Williams pair Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon, Aston Martin duo Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz all crashed.

Norris was almost knocked out in the first session, but he recovered to beat Mercedes’ George Russell to pole, with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda third and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon fourth.

Norris said after the race: “There was a lot going on. I was struggling a lot at the start of the session, I worked on it a lot in the session. 

“A little surprised to be on pole but a good result for us.”

Verstappen, meanwhile, finished 12th but will start in 17th after taking a five-place grid penalty for the race, his fourth penalty in the last two races.

The three-time world champion was left seething about a delay in throwing the red flag following Stroll’s crash in the second session, which he believed allowed other drivers to demote him out of the top 10 before he was prevented from attempting another lap.

He could vault up the grid if some of the damaged cars are unable to start the race, though, while his long-time rival Lewis Hamilton also struggled as he qualified 16th.

Lando Norris claimed his first-ever victory in a sprint race, cutting Max Verstappen's lead in the Formula One drivers' championship standings to 45 points ahead of the 

Norris triumphed in the fifth sprint race of the campaign after fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri – who started on pole – was ordered to let his team-mate through two laps before the end.

The McLaren duo had been involved in a four-way fight for top spot from the off, alongside Red Bull's Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. 

The team had planned to prioritise Norris as he looks to force his way into title contention in the season's closing weeks, though their drivers almost missed the chance to trade places when Haas' Nico Hulkenberg crashed out on lap 21, bringing about a virtual safety car.

They managed to make the switch just before the VSC was deployed, though Verstappen – who finished third – could face a penalty for a potential infringement after attempting to challenge Piastri on the final lap.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Norris said: "We're not proud about it but we work well as a team together, so I thank Oscar. 

"We've done a great job as a team today and it was the result that we wanted. 

"Oscar deserved it, but we are doing what we have to do. I thank him and the team and we had great pace so I'm looking forward to qualifying and the race tomorrow.

"It felt good, we were clearly quicker than the guys behind so it was just difficult in the sprint race with lots to manage and push and that kind of thing but we executed it well."

Leclerc finished fourth ahead of Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, with George Russell in sixth ahead of Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Red Bull's Sergio Perez. Lewis Hamilton was down in 11th place.

Formula 1 team Haas have announced that driver Kevin Magnussen will miss the remainder of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend with illness, meaning Brit Oliver Bearman will race on Sunday.

The news of Magnussen feeling unwell came before Friday's action got under way and the decision was taken for Bearman to step in for free practice, Sprint Qualifying and Saturday's Sprint.

But soon after Sprint Qualifying, in which Bearman placed 10th, it was confirmed that Magnussen would not return to take any part of the weekend's running order.

Bearman was delighted with his showing, especially having had such little notice that he was going to be called into action.

"The car was feeling good all day honestly. From the first lap I did in P1, I had a great feeling. So, happy to be in SQ3 and finally make it to the third stage of a qualifying session," he told the official Formula 1 website.

"Ayao [Komatsu] woke me up this morning at like 6:30 with the call, but when I saw his name I wasn't so mad.

"If it was my mum or something, not realising the time, I would have been a bit more angry."

This is not the first time 19-year-old Bearman has stood with little preparation time, having previously raced for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia after Carlos Sainz was forced to withdraw through injury.

He has also come in for Magnussen before as well, replacing him in Azerbaijan when the driver was hit with a one-race ban.

The opportunity comes ahead of his full-time Formula 1 debut next year, in which he will take a seat for Haas.

Formula 1 team Haas have announced that driver Kevin Magnussen will miss the remainder of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend with illness, meaning Brit Oliver Bearman will race on Sunday.

The news of Magnussen feeling unwell came before Friday's action got under way and the decision was taken for Bearman to step in for free practice, Sprint Qualifying and Saturday's Sprint.

But soon after Sprint Qualifying, in which Bearman placed 10th, it was confirmed that Magnussen would not return to take any part of the weekend's running order.

Bearman was delighted with his showing, especially having had such little notice that he was going to be called into action.

"The car was feeling good all day honestly. From the first lap I did in P1, I had a great feeling. So, happy to be in SQ3 and finally make it to the third stage of a qualifying session," he told the official Formula 1 website.

"Ayao [Komatsu] woke me up this morning at like 6:30 with the call, but when I saw his name I wasn't so mad.

"If it was my mum or something, not realising the time, I would have been a bit more angry."

This is not the first time 19-year-old Bearman has stood with little preparation time, having previously raced for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia after Carlos Sainz was forced to withdraw through injury.

He has also come in for Magnussen before as well, replacing him in Azerbaijan when the driver was hit with a one-race ban.

The opportunity comes ahead of his full-time Formula 1 debut next year, in which he will take a seat for Haas.

Oscar Piastri explained he would be willing to follow team orders to help out Lando Norris in his championship battle after claiming pole position for the Sprint at the Brazil Grand Prix.

Piastri surged to the front row for Saturday's Sprint, edging McLaren team-mate Norris in the final moments, after the Briton had led proceedings throughout.

Norris was pipped by two hundredths of a second, though is in prime position to close the gap to Max Verstappen in the drivers' standings. 

Verstappen finished fourth, but is set to face a five-place grid drop for Sunday's race after Red Bull elected to change his power unit for the sixth time this season.

Norris is currently 47 points behind the Dutchman in the drivers' championship, with this weekend offering the perfect opportunity for him to close the gap at the summit. 

Despite his impressive effort, Piastri confirmed that the team is his priority, and he will focus on their overall result before they switch attention to the grand prix on Sunday. 

“We’ll see what the pace is like for both of us tomorrow. I think first and second is the first objective, and then we’ll see what order it is," Piastri told Sky Sports. 

“I know that I’m not in the running for the drivers’ standings and for the team, it doesn’t matter which way around we are. I know that’s the case and we’ll see.”

Quizzed further on whether he would give up the win outright, he added: “Yes. I’ve said I would from when we first had these discussions.

"It would be nice to win, but it’s one point difference, and it’s not the main race so we’ll see.

“Lando needs the points in the drivers’ standings a lot more than I do, but of course I still want to win.

"So if I put in the effort and have good pace, I’m sure that won’t go unnoticed, but let’s see.”

Charles Leclerc completed the top three for Saturday's sprint, with Verstappen just behind, while Carlos Sainz, the winner at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend, took fifth. 

Mercedes' George Russell came in sixth, while the Alpine of Pierre Gasly finished seventh.

Liam Lawson, Alex Albon and Ollie Bearman, who replaced the unwell Kevin Magnussen at Haas for the Sprint, rounded out the top 10. 

Max Verstappen has dismissed critics of his tussles with Formula One title rival Lando Norris ahead of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Verstappen was on the receiving end of two separate 10-second penalties following a pair of incidents with Norris during last weekend's Mexican Grand Prix. 

He was given one penalty for pushing Norris off at Turn 4, and another for leaving the track and gaining an advantage as he reclaimed track position over his rival.

The moment came after the title contenders had been involved in another battle in Austin a week prior, which saw Norris handed a 10-second time penalty. 

Verstappen's racing tactics have come under the spotlight following two incidents in the last two races, but he labelled those critics as "annoying" and "biased".

"I don't listen to those individuals. I just do my thing," Verstappen told Sky Sports. "I'm a three-time world champion. I think I know what I'm doing.

"People that are objective and close to me. And not just there to stir.

"Some people are just being very annoying, and I know who these people are. I don't really pay a lot of attention to them anyway.

"And I think I've got to this stage of my career with the right people supporting me and making my own decisions. So, I think I know what I'm doing."

Verstappen leads the drivers' championship by 47 points over McLaren's Norris, though the upcoming sprint this weekend offers the Briton an opportunity to close the gap.

But Verstappen could be on the end of another penalty in one of the final four races of the season, after reports of Red Bull giving him a new engine surfaced. 

Those reports came after the three-time world champion was plagued by issues in Mexico, as he was forced to switch to another engine in his existing pool.

"I haven't heard anything yet," Verstappen said. "It's not [been] discussed. But I know that I will have to take one at some point, so we'll see."

With the overtaking opportunities on offer in Brazil, this weekend could be the best opportunity for Verstappen to get back on track.

He has now gone nine races without a pole position and 10 without a win, his worst streak since the penultimate round in 2020 when he went 17 qualifying rounds without a pole and 11 consecutive races without a victory. 

Quizzed on whether this circuit, where he won in 2023, could be the ideal chance for him to return to winning form, Verstappen said: "Honestly, it's something that is always unknown.

"You think that one particular track is the best place to take an engine or whatever penalty, but it's never guaranteed. It's a possibility."

DRIVERS TO WATCH

Max Verstappen – Red Bull

While much of the conversation off the track has been on Verstappen's aggressive driving, he will be hoping to do his talking on the circuit this time around.

The Dutchman emerged victorious at Interlagos last year. However, the same driver has not won the Brazilian Grand Prix twice in a row since Nico Rosberg did so for Mercedes in 2014 and 2015.

Verstappen also has the fourth-most points at the circuit (136), behind only Fernando Alonso (139), Sebastian Vettel (154) and Lewis Hamilton (185).

Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes

This weekend could be an emotional one for Hamilton, who returns to a track where he made history in 2008.

Saturday marks 14 years since Hamilton became world champion for the first time in his career, finishing fifth in Sao Paulo after passing Timo Glock on the final lap to snatch the victory away from Ferrari's Felipe Massa. 

On the anniversary of his first title success, the Briton will also get behind the wheel of Ayrton Senna's title-winning McLaren between races, marking 30 years since the Brazilian's death. 

The winner in Brazil has started from pole position in eight of the last 10 races, though Hamilton's triumph in 2021, in which he started 10th, and Vettel's second place start in 2017 are the only exceptions.

Only Michael Schumacher, Carlos Reutemann (both four) and Alain Prost (six) have more wins in Brazil than Hamilton (three, level with Vettel), and he will be looking to cap a memorable weekend with his third victory of the season. 

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 362
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 315
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 291
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 251
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – 240

Constructors

1. McLaren – 566
2. Ferrari – 537
3. Red Bull – 512
4. Mercedes – 366
5. Aston Martin – 86

Lando Norris has called for a “cleaner battle” with title rival Max Verstappen ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday.

Verstappen received two 10-second penalties for incidents early on in last Sunday's race in Mexico, which was won by Carlos Sainz.

He was awarded the first penalty for forcing Norris off the track at Turn Four on the 10th lap, while the second was given for leaving the track four corners later.

It meant the Dutchman finished in sixth position while Norris capitalised to finish second. Now, the McLaren driver wants to see fairer racing from his rival at Red Bull.

"It's what I said going into Mexico, I want clean, fair racing," Norris told Sky Sports.

"And that's what I do, that's what I provide and that's how I race. That's how I've always raced in my career. It's not for me to change, it's for the other side to change."

"I stayed out of trouble and did my job also, which is that. But every weekend is a new weekend. I don't know what to expect this weekend.

"Obviously, I hope, I expect a cleaner battle than what we had. But it's not up to me. I don't make the rules, I don't decide the penalties, I didn't do it. I just drive. The stewards see the race and they did a good job."

The result left McLaren in the lead in the Constructor’s Championship, ahead of Ferrari and Red Bull. While in the individual driver standings, Verstappen’s lead was cut to 47 points by Norris.

The 24-year-old was unfazed by how the nature of the rivalry might impact his personal relationship with Verstappen, however.

"Some of this is not personal," said Norris when asked if his relationship with Verstappen has changed.

"He wants to win the championship, I want to win the championship. But the way he can win the championship is a very different way to how I need to win the championship.

"Whether that changes how we are personally, it probably will a little bit, but this is not my concentration or place for concern at the minute."

Norris last took the chequered flag in September at the Singapore Grand Prix and has finished on the podium in one of the two races since. Verstappen, meanwhile, has failed to win a race since June when he finished first in Spain.

It leaves Norris feeling confident he can clinch his maiden title with four races left due to a number of reasons.

"My team, how we're performing every weekend. I think I'm driving very well, both in qualifying and races,” he explained.

“I feel like I've done a strong job over the last few months. I've still made mistakes and I've still not been perfect, but there's also times when we shouldn't have won and we shouldn't have had pole position and certain things.

"We did because I've been doing a good job - which is rare, but the confidence I've had in myself recently has helped me to keep believing.

"Probably the lack of performance that Red Bull have at the minute - both of them need to go together.”

Max Verstappen cannot turn an enthralling end to the Formula 1 season into a "demolition derby". 

Those were the words of former world champion Damon Hill, who criticised Verstappen for his driving at a controversial Mexican Grand Prix last weekend. 

The Dutchman received two 10-second penalties for incidents early on in Sunday's race, which was won by Carlos Sainz.

Reigning champion Verstappen was given one penalty for forcing Lando Norris off the track at Turn Four on the 10th lap, and then another for leaving the track four corners later.

Subsequently, Verstappen finished in sixth, while McLaren's Norris finished in second, closing the gap to 47 points in the drivers' championship with four races to go. 

"It can't just be a demolition derby just to keep your place, or deny everyone getting a place just because you don't want to be overtaken," said Hill on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast.

"So there needs to be a way of disciplining the driver.

"I think Max, if he carries on like that, there will be long-term questions over whether or not it was wise for him to drive like that.

"He's got so much talent, he's got so much ability. He could always use that skill to defeat his opponents. It shouldn't just be a dodgems race."

The incidents came a week after the pair's contentious battle in Austin, where Norris lost third place to Verstappen after being penalised for an overtake. 

Red Bull boss Christian Horner suggested the penalties Verstappen received were "very harsh", using data to back up his claims shortly after the race. 

Horner also added that Verstappen will "always drive aggressively" within F1's regulations, 

"There's never any attempt to publicly describe his driver in a way that other people would recognise it," Hill continued.

"It is always a protective comment from Christian about Max. It almost appears as though Max is free to do whatever he likes.

"His team will never criticise the way he drives. And I think if you're in a competition, that's probably fine to do that publicly.

"But really, at some point, there has to be a conversation. It's the responsibility of the team to also contribute to the driver's attitude."

Verstappen will, however, look to increase his advantage at the summit of the drivers' standings at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, a track he knows well. 

The 27-year-old won the last race at Interlagos in 2023, though there has not been a winner in two consecutive races at the Brazil circuit since Nico Rosberg in 2014 and 2015.