Lando Norris wins São Paulo Grand Prix as Mercedes clinches constructors' title

Lando Norris won the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix in a wet-dry-wet race at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, while Mercedes clinched the 2026 Constructors' Championship.

Race result

Norris claimed his third win of the season during Sunday's 71-lap race, starting from pole and finishing by 14.6 seconds. Max Verstappen finished second after climbing from P21 on the grid, and Isack Hadjar took third, giving Red Bull a double podium. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finished fourth and fifth, a result that was enough for Mercedes to claim the title.

The top 10 was completed by Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Liam Lawson, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg. Leclerc was given a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Lawson and dropped behind him after the race. Hamilton reached the points on his 400th Formula 1 start after starting P20.

Mercedes title

Mercedes secured the constructors' title courtesy of Russell and Antonelli finishing in the points. Antonelli had led early on after beating Norris off the line but spun twice, including once before the start, and later reported "something is weird with the car" suggesting a suspension issue. Russell spun on the pit lane exit during his stop and lost crucial time and positions.

Key quote

"It was a very tough race, very, very tough," said Norris. "Obviously, not the best of launches off the line, but a lot of challenges today, obviously with the conditions. Going onto slicks in the wet is always tough, especially when you're pushing for the lead and trying to catch up a little bit. So the main thing today was I just kept it cool and I didn't make any mistakes. And I had the pace when I needed to. So it was good. Nice to be back on the top step, and what a place to do it as well."

Why it matters

Mercedes has won its first constructors' championship since 2021, ending a period of struggle under the previous set of regulations. The result also confirms Red Bull's double podium and Norris's third victory of the 2026 season.

---

Sources

• formula1.com: 2026 Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix report: Lando Norris beats Max Verstappen in wet Sao Paulo GP thriller as Mercedes win title
• theguardian.com: Dominant Lando Norris powers to victory in São Paulo F1 Grand Prix | Formula One 2026 | The Guardian

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.