Norris wins wet São Paulo GP as Mercedes seal the title

Two Mercedes spins, rain at both ends of the race and Max Verstappen charging from 21st on the grid: the São Paulo Grand Prix had a bit of everything, and Lando Norris came out on top. The McLaren driver crossed the line 14.602 seconds clear of Verstappen, with Isack Hadjar third to give Red Bull a double podium. Fourth and fifth were enough for Mercedes to wrap up the constructors' championship.

Antonelli wins the launch

Rain returned shortly before the start and the whole field lined up on intermediates. Andrea Kimi Antonelli had already slithered across the grass at Junção on his way to the grid, yet the newly crowned champion nailed the getaway and swept into the lead. Polesitter Norris bogged down and slipped to third behind Liam Lawson. He cleared the Racing Bulls car on lap six, but by lap 14 Antonelli was some eight seconds up the road.

Further back, Verstappen was on the move. Starting from the rear after a power unit change, the Dutchman was already seventh by lap five.

Spins on a drying track

As the surface dried, Lewis Hamilton was first to gamble on slicks at the end of lap 15, and Norris and George Russell followed a lap later. Russell spun at the pit exit and brushed the barrier. His Mercedes escaped serious damage, but he lost a chunk of time and a place to Oscar Piastri.

Moments later the leader faltered too. Antonelli reported a technical problem, then spun at Turn 1, handing Norris the lead. The Italian carried on without damage, only to be passed by Hadjar and, after another slip, by Verstappen. Lance Stroll parked his Aston Martin at roughly half distance.

Verstappen chases, Norris controls

Red Bull swapped its drivers around lap 39, sending Verstappen after Norris, who was roughly ten seconds ahead. The Dutchman took fresh softs on lap 46, Norris responded a few laps later and kept him at arm's length. Rain arrived again in the closing stages and the front runners switched to intermediates at the start of lap 63. Hamilton tried one more lap on slicks and spun on the climb out of Junção. On his 400th Grand Prix start, the seven-time champion finished ninth, a lap down.

Verstappen has form for comebacks here: in 2024 he won this race from 17th on the grid. Victory was out of reach this time, but 18 points strengthened his hold on second place in the drivers' standings.

Two winners since 2023

Norris also won from pole in Brazil last year, and Interlagos has had only two winners since 2023: Verstappen in 2023 and 2024, Norris in 2025 and 2026. McLaren now have ten victories at the circuit, more than any other team, with Ferrari next on nine. For Norris it is a 14th career Grand Prix win and his third of the season after the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix. Of the 43 Grands Prix held at Interlagos, the polesitter has now won 20.

Mercedes claim a ninth constructors' title

Russell inherited fourth from Antonelli via team orders late on, leaving the Italian fifth. That took Mercedes to 652 points, and Ferrari can no longer close a 140-point gap with three races left. A ninth title draws Mercedes level with Williams, with only Ferrari and McLaren ahead.

Antonelli's result is not yet final. The stewards are investigating a possible unsafe release into the path of Franco Colapinto's Alpine, and no decision had been published at the time of writing. With a margin of around 20 seconds over Piastri, even a five-second penalty would not cost him the position.

Five drivers, 33 points: the fight for second

Antonelli sealed the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix, but the battle behind him is tight. Verstappen sits second on 279 points, and fourth place lifted Russell past Hamilton in the 2026 standings. Leclerc and Norris remain in contention too, with the McLaren driver sixth and 33 points behind Verstappen.

Behind Mercedes in the constructors' standings, Ferrari have 512 points, Red Bull Racing 415 and McLaren 398.

Curiously, both chasing battles are separated by exactly 17 points: Verstappen's margin over Russell and Red Bull's lead over McLaren in the fight for third among the teams. That is less than a single win is worth, so Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi could still flip either order.