Lando Norris secured his third victory of the season at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, finishing 14 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. The McLaren driver started from pole position and maintained a commanding lead throughout an incident-packed race that saw conditions shift between wet and dry. Kimi Antonelli, the newly crowned world champion, struggled with tyre temperature imbalances after his first pit stop, which forced him off track twice and allowed Norris to take the lead. George Russell finished fourth, but a costly spin on exiting the pit lane dropped him to tenth place before he recovered strong pace in the closing laps.
A remarkable comeback for Verstappen
Verstappen started from 21st place after taking a full raft of new engine components, yet he made it up to second by just past the halfway point. His progress was swift; by lap ten, he had reached sixth place, right behind Liam Lawson’s Racing Bull, while Isack Hadjar chased George Russell. Lewis Hamilton, making his 400th grand prix start from 20th due to an engine change penalty, initially progressed faster than Verstappen but lacked the sustained pace to challenge for higher positions. He finished ninth for Ferrari, falling behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who took seventh place after managing his stops for slicks and intermediates effectively.
Norris’ win represents a significant result for McLaren, whose final set of upgrades, notably the front wing, appeared to pay off. It is his 14th career win and his second consecutive victory in Brazil. Oscar Piastri finished sixth, nowhere near Norris’ pace, while Nico Hulkenberg took the final point for 10th place. The race confirmed that while the drivers’ title is gone, McLaren remains competitive against Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari.
Mercedes seals the ninth constructors’ crown
Mercedes sealed their ninth constructors’ championship and their first drivers’ and constructors’ double since Hamilton won the title in 2020. They needed to outscore second-placed Ferrari by just three points in Brazil and comfortably closed out the championship. The achievement caps a remarkable season where the team developed both the best car and the best engine for the complex new regulations, winning the opening six races of the year. Antonelli scored nine wins and Russell three from 20 meetings, giving the team 12 total victories.
The team’s operational strength kept them ahead even as rivals like McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull developed their cars strongly to come back. However, reliability has been their only real weakness, perhaps expected given the new regulations. Russell drove well in the final phase, showing more pace than Antonelli in the closing laps. The team ordered them to swap positions as they secured the title, ensuring the championship was locked in with style. This performance leaves Mercedes buoyed as they look toward 2027, having maximized their return despite not bringing upgrades at the same rate as their rivals.
