Norris wins Sao Paulo GP and is struck by podium fireworks, Andrea Stella confirms he is unhurt

Lando Norris was struck by fireworks on the podium after winning the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Sao Paulo on 8 November 2026, briefly holding his head before McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said he was unhurt.

Celebrating on the top step, Norris jumped down to perform his customary champagne routine, smashed the bottle and, stepping backwards, put the side of his head into sparkles erupting from the front of the podium platform. Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar then sprayed him with champagne; Norris later gave post-race interviews with no ill effects and called the race "one of the hardest races of the year in terms of focus needed every lap and therefore one of the best".

Interlagos produced mixed conditions throughout: the race began on a wet track that progressively dried and then saw more rain late on. Norris was described as "virtually impeccable" in those conditions, making new world champion Kimi Antonelli appear fallible for the first time this year and holding off Max Verstappen, who recovered from 21st on the grid to finish second.

Norris, who had started on pole, was slower away than Antonelli at the start, allowing the Italian to build an eight-second advantage by lap 13. McLaren pitted Norris for slick tyres one lap before Antonelli and he closed a seven-second deficit to nothing; three laps after Norris' stop Antonelli spun at Turn One under pressure from Norris, promoting the Briton into a lead he did not relinquish. "A lot was thrown at everyone on a day like today, but it was probably one of our best races in terms of execution and pit stops, timing of things," Norris said. "We boxed one lap early on to the slicks. I came out and was right behind him and forced him to push a little bit more, and obviously he went into a mistake and I could capitalise on it. "So, in terms of always being there where we needed to be, being able to put people under pressure was a very good day for that. "Also, from my side, just not making any mistakes, which is so easy to do on a day like today. So, great performance from the whole team. Certainly up there with one of the best I've ever had."

For McLaren, the result was a return to form after a season that began slowly while the team diverted development resources to secure last year's title double, and then briefly caught up by mid-summer with two consecutive wins either side of the break. The run of recent struggles in qualifying and performance from other teams had followed, but McLaren brought updates to Sao Paulo and, combined with a circuit suited to their package and Norris' wet-weather pace, the team produced a strong weekend. Stella said: "When Lando operates at his best, he's definitely one of the best drivers on the grid. "We have seen that in these conditions, like yesterday (in qualifying), it's not the first time that when you have mixed variable conditions, he kind of is one of the fastest in finding the limit. "And you have seen this today as well, when the track was in the middle between dry and wet. It was when he was probably gaining most throughout the races on anybody else. "He's very sensitive in understanding how much grip is available. And very, I would say, even complete as a driver, despite he's still many years ahead of him, from a technical point of view, in terms of understanding how to deploy his tools to use the grip that is available, or to adapt to the balance of the car, because you're never going to have a really perfect car. "You're never going to have the perfect conditions. So adaptability is actually probably the most important feature that you may want to possess as a driver. When there's a need to understand what's best, how to operate, he's definitely a master."

Max Verstappen's recovery from 21st to second appeared threatening for a time, aided by a penalty for using too many engines this year that left him four places lower than the position from which he had won in similar slippery conditions at Interlagos two years ago. "That first stint went really, really well," Verstappen said. "We got very quickly back into the top 10, and the pace wasn't bad. "But as soon as I switched to the slicks, I had an extreme amount of oversteer in the car in the high-speed corners, which made it super difficult to drive. "So, we need to understand if something broke on the car, some kind of aero loss or whatever, because this was not normal. "I sit here, of course, very happy with second, but at the same time, I know there was more in it if the car had been in good shape. "Unfortunately, that was not the case. I actually did most of the race with a car that was not in good shape, and to finish second, of course, is fantastic. "Maybe next year I'd love to start a bit further up front instead of starting from the back or the pit lane." Max Verstappen won the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix from 17th on the grid.

Kimi Antonelli had looked set for victory before his uncharacteristic spin under pressure from Norris, saying: "Very disappointing because we were on for the win up to that point. Also in this slicks, once I was able to get some temperature, I was getting to the rhythm, but yeah, the spin came, which still is something I need to look at because I don't know why I lost the rear so quickly as well, like no warning, nothing." George Russell's race also unravelled after a spin exiting the pits that turned a 1.2-second deficit into about 20 seconds; Russell recovered to finish fourth while Antonelli ended fifth. Antonelli added: "I'm going to put all this aside for now because the team, you know, take the title, we take the title for the team and they all deserve it. "I'm very proud to be part of this group and this team who has done and still does so much for me and I'm very happy for them."

Toto Wolff reflected on the season's competitive landscape and recent ups and downs for Mercedes, saying: "Look at the last few races. We haven't won. Then today at the beginning of the race, Kimi was just storming away. It looked like this could be ours. But the competition has been getting tougher between Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull and ourselves. "It's four teams that can win races and will be challenging for a world championship. And I have no doubt that this is going to be very difficult for us next year." He later added: "Looking back, those last four years were very difficult between getting it wrong and then kind of understanding why it was wrong and then realising, no, we didn't understand. And that was a bit back and forth. It wasn't that bad at all when you look at the sheer numbers, but it felt not good. And the resilience of the team, the people that held together in those tough times is a factor. "So it feels really good sealing those two titles. Not many sports teams have done that after consecutive run of championships, then a difficult spell and then coming back. "It looks like the most maybe competitive era that is about to start, because the teams have become so professional in capability, in resource, that this kind of runaway seasons, I don't see them any more, whether it's four in a row or eight in a row. And that is a completely new challenge. "You can see how quickly it goes from being dominant. And within a few races, you realise that your upgrade doesn't work and you fall back and you're just third on the road. "It's great for the sport. I wished it was the era of Mercedes and me running away with another few championships. I don't think it's the reality."

Mercedes have won their ninth constructors' championship in Formula 1, their first since 2021, a title secured by the points collected in Sao Paulo.