Lando Norris has extended his world title lead over Oscar Piastri to nine points after he won the Sao Paulo GP Sprint while his McLaren team-mate crashed out.

In a fresh major setback to the Australian driver's fading title hopes two weeks after losing the leadership of the standings to Norris, Piastri spun into the barriers in damp conditions at Turn Three on lap six when running in third place.

Piastri touched his left-front wheel on the inside kerb, with water splashing up and sending the McLaren around into the tyre barriers.

He was followed in crashing at the same corner in quick succession by Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and, in the heaviest contact of all, Alpine's Franco Colapinto.

While Hulkenberg was able to drag his damage car back to the pit lane, Piastri and Colapinto were out on the spot and a 22-minute red flag period followed while the two standard cars were cleared away and Turn Three barriers repaired.

Norris had led the early laps from pole after an early challenge from Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and then, after the red flag, held his lead from the Italian again when the Sprint resumed under a rolling start.

But Antonelli did not make it easy for Norris with the Mercedes restarting on the more durable medium tyres compared to the softs on the McLaren. But Norris withstood the late pressure to take full advantage of Piastri's crash and claim his first Sprint win of the year heading into main qualifying for Sunday's Grand Prix at 6pm, live on Sky Sports F1.

And, in a further boost to his title hopes, Norris also extended his lead over Max Verstappen to 39 points after the Dutchman finished behind the other Mercedes of George Russell too to take fourth from sixth on the grid.

Charles Leclerc overtook Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin late on for fifth, with Lewis Hamilton finishing just behind the latter in seventh having made up three places from his grid spot of 11th at the initial start.

Pierre Gasly took the final point for Alpine.

Brazil's own Gabriel Bortoleto had a huge high-speed accident at the start of the final lap when he lost control of his Sauber under braking for the first turn trying to overtake Isack Hadjar's Racing Bulls.

Losing control of the car on the outside line, the Sauber slewed left, smashing into the pit wall, and then briefly went airborne as it was catapulted back across to the right, making a heavy impact with the barriers in the run-off area.

Bortoleto reported he was ok over team radio and was taken to the circuit medical centre for mandatory checks due to the severity of the impacts.

More to follow...

Saturday November 8
5pm: Sao Paulo GP Qualifying build-up
6pm: SAO PAULO GP QUALIFYING
8pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook

Sunday November 9
3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
5pm: THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX
7pm: Chequered Flag: Sao Paulo GP reaction
8pm: Ted's Notebook

Formula 1's thrilling title race continues in Brazil with the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday at 5pm, with build-up from 3.30pm live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime