Norris Wins Chaotic Brazilian GP as Mercedes Clinch Constructors’ Title Without a Podium

São Paulo, 8 November 2026

Lando Norris went from pole to victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix as rain returned to Interlagos, winning a wet-dry-wet race. Mercedes secured the Constructors’ Championship despite spins for both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. It was the team’s first podium-less Grand Prix of the year. Max Verstappen produced another comeback drive from the back of the grid, and Red Bull took a double podium.

Result

The provisional classification was Norris (McLaren), Verstappen (Red Bull) +14.602s, Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +24.485s, Russell (Mercedes) +33.991s, Antonelli (Mercedes) +41.017s and Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +56.475s. The final points places went to Liam Lawson, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) completing the top ten.

Before the race: grid penalties and a wet qualifying

Rain disrupted the weekend from Saturday. Norris took pole, with the newly crowned drivers’ champion Antonelli alongside him on the front row. Russell’s aborted Q3 lap was one of the talking points, after he had been far quicker than Norris earlier in qualifying.

Verstappen topped FP3 knowing a back-of-the-grid engine penalty awaited him. Hamilton was also sent to the back, so two former title rivals started at the rear. Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac was wheeled off the grid before the start with a stuck wheel nut.

The race

The track was damp and greasy at lights out, and intermediates were the starting tyre across the grid. Antonelli had locked up and run over the grass on his lap to the grid, calling the conditions “undriveable”. Even so, he made the better start and went down the inside of Norris into Turn 1.

At the back, Hamilton climbed quickly and made his 400th grand prix start one to remember for the early progress. Verstappen followed, passing Hamilton on lap 2 and then Piastri and Alex Albon. Both Verstappen and Albon were noted for possible false starts but were cleared by the stewards. Hamilton’s first-lap pass on Oliver Bearman drew the stewards’ displeasure, and Ferrari told him to hand the place back. He then dropped further down the order.

Norris got past Lawson and began chasing Antonelli, whose lead reached eight seconds by lap 14. Hamilton pitted on lap 15 for new softs after repeated requests. The leaders followed a lap later. Russell spun at the pit exit and lost significant time, and Piastri passed him. Antonelli kept the lead through the stops.

The race turned on lap 20 or so. Antonelli reported that the car felt odd and was pulling to one side, then spun into Turn 1. That handed Norris the lead and let Hadjar and then Verstappen through to complete the top three. From there Norris pulled steadily clear. Verstappen and Hadjar were separated by a Red Bull swap, which left Hadjar unhappy and querying team orders. Antonelli’s pace stabilised later, and he pitted for softs on lap 54.

Late rain

Light rain arrived around lap 55 and intensified. The leaders pitted for intermediates at the start of lap 63. Hamilton stayed out one lap too long and spun up the hill out of Juncao, but he kept the Ferrari out of the barriers. Antonelli struggled and let Russell by under team orders. With the title decided, Mercedes’ priority became keeping both cars safe.

Norris held on, finishing almost 15 seconds clear of Verstappen.

Penalties and investigations

• Leclerc: Initially seventh, he was given a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Lawson late in the race. That dropped him behind the Racing Bulls driver, with Lawson classified seventh and Leclerc eighth.
• Antonelli: Placed under investigation for a possible unsafe release into the path of Franco Colapinto’s Alpine, which is why his fifth place carries an asterisk.

Championship picture

Mercedes needed to outscore Ferrari by three points to clinch the Constructors’ title. Hamilton’s recovery drive was therefore watched closely, but he could not make up enough ground, and Mercedes took the crown without a podium.

For Norris, the 2025 world champion, the win is a strong result in a season where Antonelli has already secured the drivers’ title.

What’s next

The season continues with the Las Vegas Grand Prix on 20–22 November, followed by Qatar on 27–29 November.

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