Lando Norris delivered a composed drive in changing conditions to win a wet Sao Paulo GP, while Mercedes secured the 2026 Formula 1 constructors’ championship with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
Norris bounces back from poor start
Pole-sitter Norris lost the lead immediately as the field launched into a damp opening lap, dropping behind Antonelli and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson. The McLaren driver needed until lap six to reclaim second place from Lawson, but by then Antonelli had already built a lead exceeding eight seconds.
The race turned when Lewis Hamilton triggered the first switch to slick tyres at the end of lap 14. Norris pitted two laps later, while Antonelli stayed out one lap too long. When the Mercedes driver finally stopped, he rejoined barely a second ahead of Norris, whose new slicks were already up to temperature.
Antonelli, fresh from becoming F1’s youngest world champion a week earlier, radioed concerns about his car’s behaviour before spinning at Turn 1. Norris inherited a lead he would never surrender, managing the return to intermediate tyres with ten laps remaining and crossing the line 14.6 seconds clear.
Reflecting on the race, Norris said it had been extremely difficult, citing his poor launch and the challenge of switching to slicks in wet conditions while pushing to close the gap. He highlighted staying mistake-free and having pace when required as the keys to victory.
Verstappen charges from 21st to second
Max Verstappen produced a characteristic wet-weather charge from 21st on the grid to finish second, making it eight consecutive podiums and ten in his last eleven races. The Red Bull driver made rapid progress in the opening laps, capitalising on a Hamilton error and a Russell spin in the pit lane, before being handed third by team-mate Isack Hadjar on lap 38.
Verstappen reported that his car’s balance changed dramatically after the first stint, limiting his ability to close on Norris once in second. He described the result from a back-row start as very good while acknowledging the need to understand the car’s sudden change in behaviour.
Hadjar completed a Red Bull double-podium in third, while Oscar Piastri took sixth for McLaren.
Mercedes seals title with three rounds to spare
Russell’s fourth place and Antonelli’s fifth gave Mercedes an unassailable lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ standings, clinching the team’s ninth title and first since their run of eight straight championships from 2014 to 2021. The result moves Mercedes level with Williams in third on the all-time winners’ list.
Team principal Toto Wolff said the achievement was amazing, noting the years required to return to the top and praising the organisation’s people for the turnaround.
Leclerc penalty reshuffles top ten
Charles Leclerc crossed the line seventh after a final-lap pass on Liam Lawson, but a five-second penalty for causing a collision during the move dropped the Ferrari driver to eighth, promoting Lawson to seventh. Lewis Hamilton, who surged from 20th to ninth on the opening lap, could not improve further and finished ninth.
Nico Hulkenberg claimed the final point in tenth for Audi despite a late penalty for forcing Franco Colapinto off track earlier in the race. Rafael Camara finished 20th on his grand prix debut for Haas at his home event, following the team’s fallout with Esteban Ocon in Mexico City.
Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas were the only retirements.
