Lando Norris converted pole into victory in a wet-dry-wet São Paulo Grand Prix, finishing 14.6 seconds clear of Max Verstappen. Fourth and fifth places for George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, despite spins for both drivers, handed Mercedes the constructors’ championship.
São Paulo, Brazil: Interlagos delivered the kind of race it is known for. Norris won it from pole, Verstappen climbed through the field for second, and Mercedes, whose two drivers both spun, still left Brazil as constructors’ champions.
Antonelli leads, then loses it
Everyone started on intermediates after Saturday’s rain, and Antonelli made the sharper getaway, going around the outside of Norris at the first corner. The newly crowned world champion led early, but he spun at Turn 1 and the lead passed to Norris, who went on to win. Antonelli was later given a post-race investigation for a possible unsafe release in the pit lane ahead of Franco Colapinto’s Alpine, so the classification remained provisional.
Spins, slicks and a swap at Red Bull
Almost the whole field switched to slicks as the track dried. Russell, starting from seventh after a grid penalty, spun at the pit exit on lap 16 and clouted the wall, but recovered. Red Bull moved Isack Hadjar aside to let Verstappen through into second place, and Verstappen, who started from the back of the grid because of an engine penalty, kept it to the flag. Lance Stroll retired his Aston Martin on lap 32.
Rain returned late and sent the leaders back onto intermediates. Lewis Hamilton spun as he came in, and Norris held his nerve to take the chequered flag.
Mercedes seal the constructors’ title
Mercedes needed only a few points to settle the constructors’ championship, and Russell’s fourth place and Antonelli’s fifth supplied them. It is the team’s first constructors’ title since 2021. The celebration follows a week after Antonelli became the youngest drivers’ champion in Formula 1 history in Mexico City, giving Mercedes the double.
For Norris it was a statement. He had taken pole in rain-hit qualifying on Saturday and turned it into a win in changeable conditions.
Result (provisional, São Paulo Grand Prix, 8 November 2026): 1. Lando Norris (McLaren); 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +14.602s; 3. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +24.485s; 4. George Russell (Mercedes) +33.991s; 5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +36.017s; 6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +56.475s.
