Formula 1 · São Paulo Grand Prix
Published Sunday, November 8, 6:45 p.m. ET (8:45 p.m. São Paulo) · Source: official Formula 1 results and championship tables
Lando Norris lost the lead at the start, then won a race that kept switching between rain and sun. The McLaren driver crossed the line 14.6 seconds clear at the São Paulo Grand Prix 2026 on Sunday, November 8.
The race began at 12:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. São Paulo) at Interlagos, the São Paulo circuit officially named Autódromo José Carlos Pace. Norris had started on pole, first on the grid, and it was his third win of 2026.
Key Facts
- Result: Lando Norris, McLaren’s British driver, won from pole by 14.6 seconds over Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
- Title: Mercedes clinched the constructors’ (team) championship, 652 points to Ferrari’s 510, with three races left.
- Drivers: Kimi Antonelli, already world champion, leads on 390 points. Verstappen has 279, Russell 262.
- Next: Las Vegas Grand Prix, Saturday, November 21, 11:00 p.m. ET (1:00 a.m. Sunday São Paulo).
This story is part of our coverage of the São Paulo Grand Prix 2026. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
In plain English
Formula 1 hands out two titles a year: one to the best driver, one to the best team. This weekend settled the team prize, and the driver prize was already decided.
Norris Wins a Race That Kept Changing
Norris did not lead for long at the start. Kimi Antonelli, the Mercedes driver who is already world champion, jumped into the lead from second place, and Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s sister team, also slipped past Norris.
The track began damp and dried out, which sent drivers into the pits for slick tyres, the smooth dry-weather type, around lap 16. Norris, Russell and Hadjar stopped first, and Antonelli and Verstappen followed a lap later.
Antonelli then spun while leading and handed the lead to Norris, who held it to the flag. A late rain shower forced the field back onto intermediates, the grooved tyres for light rain, and Norris still kept control.
Verstappen Climbs From 21st to Second
Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, started 21st after taking a new engine and finished second. By lap five he had already reached seventh.
Isack Hadjar, Verstappen’s 22-year-old French teammate, took third, which gave Red Bull two podium places. George Russell, Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate, was fourth after a spin leaving the pit lane, and Antonelli recovered to fifth.
Oscar Piastri, Norris’s McLaren teammate, was sixth. Antonelli also set the fastest lap, a 1:12.689.
Why Leclerc Dropped Behind Lawson
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s driver from Monaco, passed Lawson late in the race. The stewards, the officials who enforce the rules, then gave him a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Lawson.
That swapped the pair in the results, so Lawson was seventh and Leclerc eighth. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s seven-time champion, finished ninth on his 400th Formula 1 start after beginning from 20th.
Nico Hülkenberg of the Audi team took the last point in tenth. Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th in front of his home crowd, and Rafael Camara of Haas, a Brazilian rookie, was 20th on his F1 debut.
Mercedes Seal the Team Title
Mercedes clinched the constructors’ championship, the prize that adds up both cars’ points. Its lead over Ferrari is now 652 points to 510, with three races left.
Antonelli leads the drivers’ table with 390 points, ahead of Verstappen on 279 and Russell on 262. Hamilton has 261, Leclerc 249 and Norris 246.
Our earlier report on the Mercedes title was written before the Leclerc penalty and shows Ferrari on 512.
What It Means for US Readers
The big prizes are settled, so the next three races are about pride and third place in the team table. Red Bull holds third on 415 points to McLaren’s 398, which makes the fight between those two the one to watch.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix, the sport’s only Nevada race, comes next on Saturday, November 21, at 11:00 p.m. ET (1:00 a.m. Sunday São Paulo). Apple TV carries F1 in the United States.
What Is Not Known
Results stay provisional until the FIA, the sport’s governing body, confirms the classification. We did not find a statement on why Antonelli spun,, and stewards can still change the order after the flag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix?
Lando Norris of McLaren won by 14.6 seconds from Max Verstappen of Red Bull. Isack Hadjar, also of Red Bull, finished third.
What happened to Charles Leclerc’s result?
Leclerc passed Liam Lawson late, then received a five-second penalty for causing a collision. He was classified eighth and Lawson seventh.
Sources: Formula 1 official race page, results and standings; FIA, the sport’s governing body. Related: Norris takes pole in rain-hit qualifying.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error
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