Brock Purdy throws for 3 TDs and the 49ers beat the Seahawks 36-24 to move atop division

SEATTLE (AP) — Deebo Samuel didn't hesitate when he was asked what was working for the San Francisco 49ers.

“Brock Purdy,” Samuel said.

Purdy threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns, and the Niners never trailed in a 36-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night.

Samuel had a 76-yard catch-and-run touchdown and finished with three catches for 102 yards for the defending NFC champions (3-3), who moved into a tie with Seattle (3-3) for first place in the NFC West after an uneven start to the season.

George Kittle added five receptions for 58 yards and two scores for the 49ers, who beat the Seahawks for a sixth straight time. Kyle Juszczyk had a late TD run, and he and Kittle both celebrated their scores by leaping into the stands to embrace their wives, who were sitting together in the first row.

Matthew Wright, who joined San Francisco earlier this week to replace injured kicker Jake Moody, had a trio of first half-field goals from 25, 41 and 35 yards.

“When everyone's on point and we're doing our thing, we're a hard team to beat,” Purdy said.

Geno Smith passed for 312 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted twice, and the Seahawks lost their third straight after a 3-0 start under first-year coach Mike Macdonald.

“We're just not doing the things that good football teams do to win football games, and so we're going to attack it. We're going to take a breather here and really go back and dissect the heck out of this thing,” Macdonald said.

Four days after blowing a 23-10 halftime lead and losing to division rival Arizona, San Francisco fended off a second-half challenge by Seattle, which got a boost from Laviska Shenault Jr.'s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

After the 49ers punted, Smith led a 94-yard drive and Kenneth Walker III scored from 1 yard out to get Seattle within 23-17.

But Smith's second interception, this one by Renardo Green, set up Kittle's second TD of the game and a 29-17 lead for the Niners.

Smith found Tyler Lockett for a 9-yard scoring pass with 1:44 left to narrow the score to 29-24. San Francisco responded with Isaac Guerendo’s 76-yard dash downfield that led to Juszczyk’s 6-yard TD run — a welcome conclusion for a team that has struggled to finish games.

“We talk about it all the time, and it's something we've had to get better at this season," Purdy said. “Coach always says, no matter what the score is, our offense should be able to put up points when our team needs it.”

Seattle's struggles with the run game continued, with the team finishing with 20 carries for 52 yards — 32 by Walker.

Smith was intercepted on Seattle’s opening drive. The Seahawks were on the San Francisco 25 when rookie safety Malik Mustapha pulled down a pass meant for Lockett.

Jordan Mason broke away for a 38-yard run on San Francisco’s first series, but the drive ended with Wright’s 25-yard field goal.

Samuel pulled down an early second-quarter pass from Purdy and shook off a defender for the 76-yard TD that put the 49ers up 10-0. Samuel became the first receiver in NFL history with 20 or more rushing touchdowns and 20-plus receiving scores.

Darrell Luter Jr. forced a fumble on the Seahawks’ kickoff return and Tatum Bethune recovered on the Seattle 29. Wright capped that drive with a 41-yard field goal. Wright's third field goal gave the Niners a 16-0 lead late in the second quarter.

Aided by a pass interference call that put the ball on the 2-yard line, Smith threw three incomplete passes before the Seahawks settled for Jason Myers’ 20-yard field goal as the first half expired.

Purdy found Kittle for a 10-yard touchdown to start the second half that made it 23-3.

“He's a baller,” Purdy said of Kittle. “Obviously when you get the ball in his hands he can do what he can. He can break tackles. Just explosive for a tight end.”

Mason, who left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury, later returned and finished with 73 yards on on nine carries for the 49ers as he continues to fill in for the injured Christian McCaffrey.

Seahawks safety Rayshawn Jenkins said he's not frustrated — yet.

“We have the right guys in the room to get the job done. We just really have to be real and accountable. And as long as we do that, we should be OK,” Jenkins said. “But it has to happen sooner than later.”

San Francisco CB Charvarius Ward was a late scratch with a bruised knee. It was the first game Ward has missed since joining the Niners in 2022. ... Wright left the field shortly before the game ended after making a tackle on a kickoff return.

As expected, the Seahawks put OLB Uchenna Nwosu on injured reserve with a thigh injury. Nwosu missed the first four games of the regular season with a sprained knee. He played just 20 snaps in Sunday's loss to the New York Giants before he was hurt again. ... Mustapha left the game in the first half with an ankle injury and did not return.

49ers: Host Kansas City on Oct. 20 in a Super Bowl rematch.

Seahawks: At Atlanta on Oct. 20.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith walks off the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) makes a catch against Seattle Seahawks safety Rayshawn Jenkins (2) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) ND Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) celebrate a touchdown by Samuel Sr. during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawkse, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) reacts after a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) os tacked by Seattle Seahawks' Devon Witherspoon (21) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba runs during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers' Malik Mustapha (6) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) reacts after a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. males catch during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) nuns during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle reacts after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle SeahawksThursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is returning to Formula 1 after 15 years as the Japanese automaker becomes a “technical partner” of American racing team Haas.

There will be Toyota branding on the Haas cars starting from next week's United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, and the auto giant's racing division will provide “design, technical and manufacturing services” to the North Carolina-based team.

This doesn't mean a return of the Toyota works team which raced in F1 for eight seasons until 2009, however.

Toyota Chairman Aiko Toyoda, speaking Friday, suggested he had second thoughts about pulling out of F1. But not for obvious reasons.

“I think that, somewhere deep in his heart, that ordinary older car-loving guy Akio Toyoda had always regretted having blocked — by pulling out of F1 — Japanese youths' path toward driving the world's fastest cars,” he said.

And then he added: “That said, with the media watching my every step, I dare to add that I still believe my decision as the president of Toyota to withdraw from F1 was not wrong.”

Haas will still race under its own name and Toyota isn't going to be supplying engines like it did for other teams in the 2000s.

Haas already has an agreement to use Ferrari engines through 2028 as part of an existing partnership which dates to Haas' first F1 season in 2016. Haas previously extended its Ferrari deal in July to cover the new F1 regulations coming in 2026.

The announcement of the “multi-year agreement” seemed to suggest Toyota could seek to place a driver with Haas, which doesn't have a spare seat for next year.

The head of Toyota's Gazoo racing division, Tomoya Takahashi, said in a statement Friday that Toyota would aim to “cultivate drivers, engineers, and mechanics” in its partnership with Haas. The team has already signed Ferrari reserve Oliver Bearman and the experienced Esteban Ocon, who's currently at Alpine, as its drivers for 2025.

“Some might jump to the conclusion: Toyota is back in F1. But that's not the case,” Takahashi added, calling it a “technical partnership."

“Through this partnership we believe it would be fantastic if we could develop drivers who can secure regular seats in F1 in the future.”

Toyota spent lavishly when it joined F1 in 2002 as it attempted to build a title-winning team, but never won a race despite several near-misses.

Toyota made a sudden announcement at the end of the 2009 season that is was leaving F1 as part of a cost-cutting program even though it had almost finished designing its car for the following season.

Since then, Toyota has focused on other forms of auto racing like NASCAR, the Le Mans 24-hour race — where it has a rivalry with Ferrari — and rallying.

The Toyota-Haas F1 announcement Friday came just over a week after the company was among three big Japanese firms which pulled sponsorship money out of the Olympics.

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Ellingworth reported from Duesseldorf, Germany. Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo contributed.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

FILE - Toyota Motor Corp. Chief Executive Akio Toyoda delivers a speech on the stage at the Tokyo Auto Salon, an industry event similar to the world's auto shows on Jan. 13, 2023, in Chiba near Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)