Norris Wins a Wet Sao Paulo Grand Prix as Verstappen Charges From 21st and Mercedes Clinch the Constructors' Title

By The Arena Staff

SAO PAULO, Nov. 8, 2026 — Lando Norris lost the lead at the start of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, got it back when the new world champion spun it away, and then never let anyone near him again, wet track or dry.

The McLaren driver won Sunday's 71-lap race at Interlagos by 14.6 seconds over Max Verstappen, converting pole into his third win of the season and his first since the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August, according to Formula 1 and BBC Sport. The Associated Press noted it was his second straight win in Brazil.

The day started wet, and Kimi Antonelli, who clinched the drivers' title a week ago in Mexico City, jumped Norris off the line. He had a lead of more than eight seconds by lap 13, BBC Sport reported, and looked ready to celebrate his championship with a win. But the track was drying, Norris pitted for slick tires on lap 16, and the earlier stop put him right on Antonelli's tail. The Mercedes driver spun at the first corner, Norris went through, and he led all but four of the final 52 laps.

A late rain shower forced another round of stops for wet tires, and Norris handled that, too. "Norris had too much pace for Verstappen whether the track was dry or wet," BBC Sport wrote.

Verstappen's drive was the other story. He started 21st after an engine penalty and climbed all the way to second, and teammate Isack Hadjar finished third to give Red Bull both remaining podium spots.

Mercedes had a messy afternoon and still won the race that mattered most to the team. George Russell spun exiting the pits while working his way back into podium contention, and Antonelli spun twice, once before the start even began, according to Formula 1. They finished fourth and fifth, and that was enough to clinch the constructors' championship, the team's ninth, per the AP.

Oscar Piastri was sixth for McLaren, ahead of Charles Leclerc, who passed Liam Lawson on the next-to-last lap. Lewis Hamilton recovered from 20th on the grid and a spin of his own to finish ninth in his 400th Formula 1 start, and Nico Hulkenberg took the final point for Audi.

Sources: Formula 1, BBC Sport and the Associated Press.