Victory for Lando Norris, Mercedes Title, and a Thrilling Race
The 2026 Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix reaffirmed Interlagos’ reputation as the stage for outstanding racing. With rain falling over the first 17 laps, followed by a dry track and rain returning in the final ten laps, the race delivered brilliant duels and placed heavy demands on team strategies. Lando Norris took victory, followed by Max Verstappen—voted ‘Driver of the Day’—and Isack Hadjar, who drove one of his strongest races to date. Mercedes sealed its 9th World Constructors’ Championship. Race organizers reported a record-breaking crowd of 317,096 spectators across the three days. The next round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship will take place on November 22 (in the early hours of Sunday morning) in Las Vegas. The season will conclude with rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Off the track, the biggest news of the weekend was the extension of the São Paulo Grand Prix contract with Formula 1 through 2035. The current agreement between the City of São Paulo, Formula 1, and the São Paulo GP was originally set to expire after the 2030 event. With this move, City Hall reaffirmed its commitment to motorsport in São Paulo, while Formula 1 reinforced its backing of the sport’s classic circuits. This comes as a major boost for the city, generating significant economic impact alongside direct and indirect jobs.
The Brazilian drivers had a quiet outing. Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th and Rafael Câmara, making his debut (after an impressive 11th on the grid), finished 20th—both struggling to find race pace while dealing with issues on their respective cars.
In the opening phase of the race, after a sensational start that saw Kimi Antonelli jump into 1st place, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen electrified the grandstands with blistering charges from the back of the grid, having started down order due to penalties for component changes. Hamilton completed 11 overtakes on lap one, while Verstappen passed 14 rivals across the opening two laps.
Verstappen vs. Hamilton, Verstappen vs. Piastri, and Leclerc vs. Hamilton were among the standout battles. Antonelli surrendered the lead on lap 20 following a spin, after which Verstappen launched an attacking surge that swept past both Antonelli and Hadjar. However, the switch back to wet-weather tires in the closing stages allowed Lando Norris to maintain control at the front and run untroubled to the flag.
Holding a 140-point margin over Ferrari, Mercedes clinched the Constructors’ Championship early for the 9th time, matching Frank Williams’ tally. Team principal Toto Wolff claimed eight consecutive titles between 2014 and 2021, and now adds the 2026 crown. Across both Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships, Wolff has amassed 17 titles, tying Ron Dennis. Kimi Antonelli had already secured the Drivers’ World Championship at the preceding round, the Mexico City GP.
The battle for runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship remains wide open. With 75 points still up for grabs, Max Verstappen holds the advantage, though George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc retain mathematical chances.