Norris wins Sao Paulo Grand Prix after Antonelli and Russell errors

Lando Norris won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix last year, beating Max Verstappen after mistakes from Kimi Antonelli and George Russell cost both challengers in tricky conditions. Norris started from pole, surrendered the lead at the start to Antonelli, then reclaimed it when the new world champion spun.

Norris had secured pole position — his first since the Spanish Grand Prix in September — but Antonelli moved ahead from the front row and pulled away as the track remained wet, building a five-second lead within 10 laps and extending it to more than eight seconds by lap 13. The circuit began to dry and Norris pitted for dry-weather slick tyres three laps later; Antonelli stopped a lap after him, by which time Norris had closed to the Mercedes' gearbox. Antonelli reported over the radio that the car felt strange under acceleration and on lap 20 lost control at the entry to Turn One, spinning and handing the lead back to Norris.

A few laps before Antonelli’s spin, Russell — who had started seventh — spun exiting the pits and lost 15 to 20 seconds, though he worked his way back into podium contention. Russell ultimately finished fourth. Antonelli recovered to fifth, and those placings secured the constructors' championship for Mercedes a week after the Italian had tied up the drivers' title.

Verstappen produced a recovery drive from 21st on the grid to finish second, overcoming an engine penalty as part of his comeback. He passed Antonelli after the Italian ran wide at Turn One four laps following his spin and then closed in on Norris, but could not find a way past. Norris maintained superior pace whether the track was dry or wet.

Hadjar matched Verstappen for raw speed at times but his inconsistency and mistakes left him vulnerable, and within 10 laps the team leader was on the Frenchman's tail. Red Bull instructed Hadjar to let Verstappen by on lap 39 to try to press Norris. Despite that move, Norris held position, having switched to another set of soft tyres before a late shower forced a change to intermediates in the final 10 laps.

The win was Norris's first since the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August and he controlled the closing stages, adapting to the rain that fell late in the race. His earlier stop for slicks had proved decisive in closing on Antonelli and setting up the eventual pass after the Italian's spin.

Russell and Antonelli finishing fourth and fifth clinched the constructors' championship for Mercedes, the team title arriving a week after Antonelli had secured the drivers' championship.