Lando Norris wins Sao Paulo Grand Prix after masterclass in mixed conditions
Lando Norris claimed victory at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in mixed weather conditions as Mercedes secured the constructors' championship.
Lando Norris mastered treacherous, mixed weather conditions from pole position to claim a hard-fought victory at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, commonly known as Interlagos. The race began on a wet track that progressively dried before heavier rain returned in the closing stages.
Starting from pole, Lando Norris made a slow start compared to newly crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli, who surged into an early lead and built an eight-second advantage over the first 13 laps. However, as the circuit dried, Norris closed the gap by pitting for slick tyres a lap earlier than his Italian rival. The pressure mounted until Antonelli spun at Turn One on lap 20, handing the lead to the McLaren driver, who controlled the pace and never looked back.
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"A lot was thrown at everyone on a day like today, but it was probably one of our best races in terms of execution and pit stops, timing of things."
Lando Norris, McLaren driver, via BBC
Max Verstappen produced another staggering recovery drive, slicing through the field from 21st on the grid to finish second for Red Bull after receiving penalties for changes in his power unit. Verstappen admitted that despite a strong initial charge, an extreme amount of oversteer in high-speed corners after switching to slicks hampered his car's pace. Teammate Isack Hadjar completed the podium in third place following team orders that allowed Verstappen past after Hadjar ran wide at Turn One. Hadjar noted the difficulties of switching from intermediate to soft tyres and apologized for an awkward situation with his teammate.
Mercedes clinched their ninth constructors' championship—their first since 2021—despite a chaotic afternoon for both drivers. Kimi Antonelli finished fifth after spinning from the lead and receiving a five-second post-race penalty for an unsafe pit release at his final stop. Teammate George Russell qualified third but was forced to start seventh following a five-place grid penalty for changing his internal combustion engine. Russell climbed into contention early on before spinning on the damp pit exit, turning a small deficit into a much larger one, and eventually crossing the line fourth after being allowed to pass his teammate late in the race.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff reflected on the team's journey back to the front after struggling through the ground-effect era, noting that the competitive era now beginning makes runaway seasons unlikely. Antonelli expressed pride in the team's achievement despite his own disappointment regarding the race win.
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
Ferrari endured a difficult outing as Lewis Hamilton made his 400th Formula 1 start. Hamilton charged through the field from 20th on the grid on the opening lap before struggling with degrading intermediate tyres, late spins, and a post-race investigation regarding leaving the track and gaining an advantage that left him finishing ninth. Teammate Charles Leclerc similarly battled back through the points-paying positions after starting with a grid drop penalty for replacing his internal combustion engine, though a five-second penalty for contact with Liam Lawson demoted Leclerc from seventh to eighth in the final classification.
Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson starred in the midfield, qualifying fifth in the Saturday rainstorm and briefly running near the front on Sunday before ultimately anchoring his position as best of the rest. Lawson held off Leclerc late in the race to score valuable points for his team's battle in the constructors' standings, though his seat for the following season remains unconfirmed.
Celebrations on the podium proved eventful when Norris attempted his signature move of slamming a champagne bottle onto the ground. The force shattered the bottle entirely, and as Norris stepped back, he inadvertently made contact with a podium-mounted pyrotechnic display. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella quickly confirmed that the driver emerged completely unhurt and suffered no ill effects, while Verstappen and Hadjar drenched him with their own bottles.
