Sao Paulo GP: Lando Norris wins wet race for McLaren as Mercedes seal 2026 F1 Constructors' Championship in Brazil

McLaren's Lando Norris recovered from a poor start to claim a dominant victory in a wet Sao Paulo Grand Prix that saw Mercedes seal the 2026 Formula 1 Constructors' Championship.

Max Verstappen produced a signature stunning drive in the wet to come from 21st on the grid to finish second, with his team-mate Isack Hadjar completing a double-podium for Red Bull.

Newly crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli had looked on course for victory after taking the lead at the start but ultimately had to settle for fifth behind his team-mate George Russell, which was more than enough for Mercedes to establish an unassailable lead over Ferrari in the constructors' standings with three rounds to spare.

• Sao Paulo GP race result
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A ninth constructors' title for Mercedes, their first since claiming eight in a row from 2014-2021, brings the Silver Arrows level with Williams in third on the sport's all-time list of winners.

"It's amazing," Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said. "We have taken a few years to be back at the top spot. Not many teams have been able to come back from such a situation and it just shows the great work, the great people we have in our organisation and it's great to be among them."

Norris lost the lead to Antonelli at the start as the pole-sitter dropped to third on the opening lap, but a mid-race switch to slick tyres as the track dried swung the race.

Antonelli had led by six seconds before the stops but delayed pitting by a lap and then struggled with his tyre temperatures, spinning off to give the lead back to Norris before also being overtaken by both Red Bulls.

The rain returned in the closing stages to force the entire field back onto intermediate tyres, but Norris handled the conditions masterfully to take the chequered flag just short of 15 seconds clear of Verstappen.

"It was a very tough race, very very tough," Norris said. "I didn't have the best of launches off the line. A lot of challenges today with the conditions and going onto slicks in the wet is always tough, especially when you are pushing for the lead and trying to catch up a little bit.

"The main thing today was I kept it cool and didn't make any mistakes and had the pace when I needed to. Nice to be back on the top step and what a place to do it as well."

Norris' team-mate Oscar Piastri claimed sixth, which meant McLaren matched Red Bull's haul of 33 points from the race and stayed 17 points behind them in the battle for third in the constructors' standings.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished seventh after passing Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson during a final-lap scrap, but those positions could yet be reversed after an investigation was launched into contact between the pair during the pass.

Lewis Hamilton surged from 20th on the grid up to ninth on the first lap, but was ultimately unable to improve on that position after struggling for pace amid a couple of tyre gambles as the conditions changed.

Nico Hulkenberg took the final point in 10th for Audi, holding onto the position despite having to serve a penalty late in the race for forcing Alpine's Franco Colapinto off track in an earlier battle.

Rafael Camara was last of the cars to take the chequered flag in 20th for Haas as he made his grand prix debut at his home race following the team's fall out with Esteban Ocon at last weekend's race in Mexico City.

More to follow...

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(c) Sky Sports 2026: Sao Paulo GP: Lando Norris wins wet race for McLaren as Mercedes seal 2026 F1 Constructors' Championship in Brazil