Norris wins São Paulo GP after Antonelli spins twice as Verstappen storms to second

News Summary

• Lando Norris won at Interlagos for the second year running after Andrea Kimi Antonelli spun out of the lead at the Senna S.
• Max Verstappen climbed from 21st on the official grid to second, with Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar third.
• George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli crossed the line fourth and fifth, securing the 2026 constructors’ title for Mercedes.

Lando Norris won the São Paulo Grand Prix for the second year in a row on Sunday after losing two places at the start and regaining the lead when Andrea Kimi Antonelli spun at the Senna S. The McLaren driver was back on intermediates by the finish as rain returned to Interlagos, but by then he had enough of a lead to make the stop and stay in front. It was his third win of 2026 and the 14th of his Formula 1 career.

Max Verstappen finished second from 21st on the official grid. The Red Bull driver was already in the top five before the first round of stops and moved into second when the team asked Isack Hadjar to let him through. Hadjar held on for third, while George Russell and Antonelli brought Mercedes the points it needed to secure the constructors’ championship a week after Antonelli won the drivers’ title in Mexico.

Antonelli takes the lead as Hamilton jumps from 20th to ninth

A day after Norris took pole in a qualifying session interrupted by heavy rain, the rain eased before the start, but the asphalt was still wet enough for intermediates. Antonelli had already found out how little grip there was away from the racing line when he spun onto the grass at Junção on his way to the grid.

He had a much cleaner getaway when the lights went out. The Mercedes pulled ahead of Norris before the first corner, and Liam Lawson took second through the Senna S. Norris recovered second on lap six, by which time Antonelli had already opened a gap of more than five seconds.

Farther back, Lewis Hamilton was up to ninth on the opening lap after lining up 20th on the official grid. Verstappen passed him on lap three and soon found a way past Oscar Piastri and Alexander Albon in the same sequence. Valtteri Bottas failed to start after Cadillac was unable to resolve a problem with the right-front wheel.

Hamilton’s early gains became harder to hold as the track dried. Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc got alongside on the climb from Junção on lap nine, and the pair stayed side by side into the approach to the main straight before Leclerc took the position. Fernando Alonso then went around the outside of Hamilton at Laranjinha. Hamilton was already pushing Ferrari to switch to slicks, with Junção still the corner giving him the most trouble.

Two spins at the Senna S take Antonelli from first to fourth

Hamilton opened the switch to slicks at the end of lap 15, with Carlos Sainz following him in. Once Hamilton showed there was enough grip to make the softs work, the leaders began to stop. Russell spun at the pit exit during that rush, forcing Piastri to steer around the Mercedes. Antonelli stayed ahead through the first round of stops, but getting the slicks up to temperature gave him a new problem.

On lap 20, Antonelli spun at the Senna S and Norris went through for the lead. Hadjar passed the Mercedes soon afterwards. When Antonelli went off again at the same corner on lap 24, Verstappen moved into third. Antonelli reported that the car was pulling to one side, while race engineer Peter Bonnington told him the telemetry showed nothing unusual.

Hadjar was still within five seconds of Norris around the halfway mark. As Verstappen closed on his team-mate, Red Bull ordered Hadjar to let him through on lap 38. Hadjar complied and asked what would happen if Verstappen could not get past Norris. Verstappen pulled away from the other Red Bull, but the gap to the McLaren gave Norris room to manage his next stop.

Norris keeps the lead through the final switch to intermediates

Verstappen was the first of the front runners to make a second stop. Norris came in at the end of lap 49 and briefly dropped behind cars that had stayed out. Hadjar stopped on the following lap, and Antonelli led until his own stop on lap 54. When the order settled, Norris was back in front with about eight seconds over Verstappen.

Drops began to appear on lap 57. By lap 62 the rain was heavy enough for McLaren to bring Norris in for intermediates, and he rejoined still in the lead. Hamilton spun late and recovered, while Russell gained ground on his intermediates and Mercedes asked Antonelli to let him through. Russell finished fourth, with Antonelli fifth at the flag. The stewards were due to investigate an apparent unsafe release involving Antonelli and Franco Colapinto after the race.

Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th for Audi. Rafael Câmara struggled for grip on intermediates in his first Formula 1 start but completed the race in 20th for Haas. Lance Stroll retired.

2026 F1 São Paulo Grand Prix — Final race classification

Formula 1 returns to Las Vegas from 19 to 21 November, with the race on Saturday night local time. GRANDE PRÊMIO is covering the São Paulo Grand Prix from Interlagos in its Formula 1 section.