Lando Norris took victory in a rain-affected Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, while Mercedes did enough to wrap up the 2026 Formula One constructors’ championship with three rounds still to go.
The McLaren driver started from pole after a wet qualifying session and crossed the line 14.602 seconds clear of Max Verstappen, who produced one of the drives of the season to climb from 21st on the grid to second. Isack Hadjar completed the podium in the second Red Bull, according to results published by Sky Sports and PlanetF1.
How the race unfolded
Conditions changed throughout the afternoon. The race began on a wet track, dried out enough for slick tyres, and then rain returned around lap 60, sending drivers back to the pits for intermediates.
Norris lost the lead on the opening lap to Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, but regained it when Antonelli spun at Turn 1 around lap 20. Antonelli later lost further places, first to Hadjar and then to Verstappen, after running off the track again.
George Russell spun at the pit exit after switching to slicks and dropped back, but recovered to finish fourth, one place ahead of Antonelli. Norris described it afterwards as “a very tough race”, while Verstappen said that starting 21st and finishing second was “a very good result”.
Top 10 at Interlagos
- 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)
- 6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- 7. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- 8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- 9. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +1 lap
- 10. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) +1 lap
Leclerc collided with Lawson on lap 70 and was given a five-second penalty, which dropped him behind the Racing Bulls driver in the final classification. Hamilton, who started 20th, recovered to score points despite a spin before his late stop for intermediates. Haas rookie Rafael Camara finished 20th on his grand prix debut.
Mercedes back on top
Fourth and fifth places for Russell and Antonelli gave Mercedes an unassailable lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ standings. Sky Sports reported that it is the team’s ninth constructors’ title and its first since a run of eight in a row from 2014 to 2021, drawing it level with Williams for third on the all-time list.
Team principal Toto Wolff said the team had “taken a few years to be back at the top spot”. The result follows Antonelli being crowned drivers’ champion a week earlier, giving Mercedes both titles in 2026.
Abu Dhabi finale on December 6
Three races remain on the calendar, and the season will end in the UAE capital:
- Las Vegas Grand Prix: November 20 to 22
- Qatar Grand Prix: November 27 to 29
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: December 4 to 6, Yas Marina Circuit
With both championships settled, the closing rounds will decide the remaining places in the standings. For fans in the UAE, the Las Vegas race will take place in the early hours of Sunday morning Gulf time, while Qatar and Abu Dhabi fall within the region’s own time zone.
Sources: Sky Sports, PlanetF1, Silverstone
