Lando Norris mastered a difficult start and another change in Brazil’s weather to win Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix, as Mercedes secured the 2026 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship.
The McLaren driver started on pole at Interlagos but lost the lead immediately on a damp circuit. He recovered to take his third victory of the season, crossing the line 14.602 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, who had begun 21st. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar finished third.
For Mercedes, fourth place for George Russell and fifth for newly crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli were enough to claim the team’s ninth constructors’ title. It is the first time Mercedes have won that championship since 2021.
How Norris recovered after losing the lead
The 71-lap race began on intermediate tyres, with Antonelli launching past Norris from second on the grid. Liam Lawson also got ahead of the McLaren at the first corners, leaving Norris to fight back rather than simply control the race from the front.
The circuit then began to dry. Drivers struggled with overheating intermediate tyres before switching to slicks, and Norris made his first stop at the end of lap 16. Antonelli initially retained the lead when he stopped a lap later, but spun at Turn 1 on lap 20, allowing Norris through.
From there, Norris built a cushion while the teams watched threatening clouds. The rain returned in the closing laps, forcing another switch to intermediate tyres. Norris stayed out of trouble and held on to win by nearly 15 seconds. It was his second successive São Paulo Grand Prix victory, following his 2025 win.
Norris said the conditions and tyre changes had made the afternoon demanding, but that he had kept calm and avoided mistakes. The result was McLaren’s first Grand Prix victory since August.
Verstappen gains 19 places as Red Bull take two podium positions
Verstappen had been sent towards the back of the grid by power-unit penalties. From 21st he climbed to 13th on the opening lap and eighth by lap five, then continued his recovery with aggressive overtaking and an effective tyre strategy.
He passed his team-mate Hadjar for second during the middle of the race. Although a later pit stop reshuffled the field, Verstappen finished second while Hadjar completed a double podium for Red Bull. Hadjar had also run second earlier in the afternoon before falling behind the Dutchman.
After the finish, Verstappen described a challenging afternoon. He said his early overtakes had gone well, but wondered whether damage to his car had limited his pace once he reached second place. Hadjar said the conditions and repeated tyre changes had been extremely difficult, and was relieved to hold on to the final podium position. Their comments were reported in The Guardian’s live post-race coverage.
The opening laps produced another remarkable charge: Lewis Hamilton went from 20th to ninth on the first lap, although tyre wear and a later spin interrupted his progress. He ultimately finished ninth for Ferrari on his 400th Formula 1 start.
Mercedes complete a title double
Antonelli had already secured the 2026 Drivers’ Championship at the previous round in Mexico City. Brazil completed a championship double for Mercedes, despite a difficult race for both its drivers.
Antonelli took the early lead but spun after the change to slick tyres and later ran wide. Russell also spun exiting the pit lane after his first stop. Both recovered to finish fourth and fifth respectively, securing enough points to end Ferrari’s remaining constructors’ title hopes.
According to the Formula 1 constructors’ standings following the race, Mercedes lead on 652 points, ahead of Ferrari on 512, Red Bull on 415 and McLaren on 398.
What the result means for McLaren
Norris’s win strengthens McLaren’s belief that it can compete for race victories, even though the championship titles have gone to Mercedes. Oscar Piastri added sixth place, and McLaren are now just 17 points behind Red Bull in the fight for third in the Constructors’ Championship.
In the Drivers’ Championship standings, Antonelli leads with 390 points. Verstappen is second on 279, ahead of Russell on 262. Norris has moved to 246 points and remains sixth. There are three Grands Prix left on the 2026 calendar: Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
São Paulo Grand Prix: top 10
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull, +14.602 seconds
- Isack Hadjar, Red Bull, +24.485 seconds
- George Russell, Mercedes
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Nico Hülkenberg, Audi
Penalties and post-race checks
Alex Albon received a five-second penalty for rejoining the circuit unsafely at Turn 1, while Nico Hülkenberg was given a 10-second penalty for gaining a position by leaving the track. Hamilton was investigated after an opening-lap overtake outside the track limits and handed the place back.
Antonelli was also reported as being under post-race investigation after moving into Franco Colapinto’s Alpine’s path when leaving his pit box. Contact between Charles Leclerc and Liam Lawson late in the race was likewise noted for investigation. At the time of this update on 8 November, final decisions on these incidents could not be independently verified. The classification above remains provisional and subject to any further FIA stewards’ decisions.
Video and official sources
Official race highlights for the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix were not yet listed in Formula 1’s video library at the time of this update. Qualifying footage and highlights from 2025 cover different sessions or races, so no video has been embedded.
Sources: Formula 1 race report, 8 November 2026; Reuters race report; official drivers’ standings; official constructors’ standings; FIA stewards’ decisions.
