Norris wins wet São Paulo race as Mercedes clinch constructors’ title

AI-generated illustration.

Lando Norris won the São Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday, 8 November, while Mercedes secured the Formula 1 constructors’ championship. The McLaren driver finished 14.602 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, who recovered from 21st on the grid to take second.

Isack Hadjar completed the podium for Red Bull, with George Russell fourth and Kimi Antonelli fifth. Those positions were enough to settle the teams’ title in Mercedes’ favour, a week after Antonelli had secured the drivers’ championship in Mexico.

Norris started from pole but lost places to Antonelli and Liam Lawson at the start. The opening phase favoured Mercedes, before the drying surface made the timing of the move from intermediate tyres to slicks increasingly important.

McLaren brought Norris in at the end of lap 16, one lap before Antonelli. The Italian retained the lead after his stop, but Norris was closing when Antonelli spun at the first corner on lap 20. The mistake handed the initiative to the McLaren driver.

More rain arrived towards the end of the 71-lap race, forcing another change to intermediates. Norris maintained his advantage through the final stint to collect his third grand prix victory of the season, with both Red Bulls finishing behind him.

Oscar Piastri took sixth for McLaren. Lewis Hamilton finished ninth on his 400th Formula 1 start after lining up 20th, while Nico Hülkenberg collected the final point for Audi. Rafael Câmara completed his grand prix debut for Haas in 20th.

For Mercedes, the result brought a ninth constructors’ crown and their first since 2021. The team had previously won eight consecutive championships from 2014, and their return to the top now accompanies Antonelli’s individual title.

Sources

• Formula 1: Norris wins in São Paulo as Mercedes take the title (2026-11-08)
• Sky Sports: Mercedes seal ninth constructors’ championship
• FIA: São Paulo race report and result