The day after he crashed and went pointless in the sprint race, Australia's great hope Piastri ended up finishing fifth at Interlagos on Sunday to continue a woeful run of five races in a row when he's failed to make the podium.
That's allowed Norris, who took another immaculate win from pole, to move 24 points clear in their title duel with only three races and one sprint to go.
"I'll just try and get the most out of it that I can," said a glum Piastri afterwards, his face betraying the disappointment of a driver who perhaps fears his race is run for 2025.
For the win puts Norris almost a whole race victory ahead after a perfect weekend for the English driver in which he also won the sprint.
He can now even afford to finish second to Piastri in the remaining three races, as well as the last sprint round in Qatar, and still take the crown.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli hung on for a career-best second place as Red Bull's champion Max Verstappen finished third after another vintage drive in which he started from the pit lane yet still made the podium.
Piastri's chance of moving up from his fourth-place grid start effectively ended when, after an early safety car, he tried to make a move on the inside on the restart to get past Antonelli on lap 8.
But Piastri had a lock-up and they clipped wheels, sending the Italian spinning into Charles Leclerc, who had to retire with his Ferrari suffering suspension damage.
"He left me with no space," Piastri protested over the radio, even though the move catapulted him into second behind Norris.
Yet stewards ruled he should have a 10-second penalty, which he served at his pit-stop and could only re-emerge in eighth place.
He made up three spots but after being unable to get past George Russell for fourth in a late charge, his hopes of being the first Aussie title holder since Alan Jones in 1980 are now looking bleak.
Piastri reckoned he had no regrets about making his ill-fated attempt at an overtake.
"No, I don't think so. I had a very clear opportunity. I went for it. The other two on the outside braked quite late. There was obviously a bit of a lock-up into the corner, but that was because I could see Kimi was not going to give me any space. I can't disappear, but the (stewards') decision is what it is."
But he sounded deflated as he admitted: "Today, the penalty was one thing, but I don't think the pace was at a level that I wanted it to be."
For Norris, though, the title must now feel tantalisingly close, even if he reckoned he wasn't yet dreaming of the title despite winning by 10.3 seconds
"Not at all," he said. "It is a great win but seeing how close Max was, it is disappointing that we were not quicker today. There is a long way to go and it can change so quickly."
But he had a prickly retort to his critics when asked how he'd found his resurgent form. "Just ignore everyone that talks crap about you and focus on yourself," he said.
Verstappen, who'd gone from 17th to win last year at Interlagos, was perhaps only denied repeating that amazing feat because of an early slow puncture. "Incredible race for us, we never give up," he said, now 49 points adrift of Norris and only 25 behind Piastri.
Lewis Hamilton retired with damage his Ferrari damaged after crashing into the back of Franco Colapinto on lap one.
