SAO PAULO LOWDOWN: All the key moments as Mercedes secures Constructors' title and Norris wins in the rain

Lando Norris claimed victory in a wet thriller at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, while Mercedes did enough to secure the 2026 Constructors' Championship.

There were plenty of story lines up and down the grid, including a runner-up finish for Max Verstappen after starting at the back of the grid, while the wet weather gave midfield runner Liam Lawson the chance to shine.

Here are all the key moments from the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix…

Norris overcomes the weather to make it back-to-back Sao Paulo wins

Interlagos proved to be a happy hunting ground for Norris last season, the McLaren driver taking victory 12 months ago en route to the title at the end of the season.

Having taken back-to-back wins in the summer this term, Norris and McLaren had failed to feature in the lead battle of recent Grands Prix due to a lack of outright pace, but the combination looked strong in Brazil's dry practice running.

That pace translated over to the wet as well, with Norris claiming pole during Saturday's thunderstorms as he looked like a genuine contender for victory no matter the elements.

The Briton's task became harder, though, as he immediately lost his advantage to fellow front row starter Kimi Antonelli off the line, and lost a further spot through the opening corners to Lawson.

Recovering P2 as Lawson's intermediate tyres overheated, Norris pitted a lap earlier than Antonelli for slick rubber, slashing a 7s gap in the process and, shortly after, forcing the Mercedes driver into a spin at Turn 1.

Thereafter, Norris controlled the pace at the front of the field, managing tricky conditions in the final stages after switching to intermediate tyres and claiming his third win of the season by 14s from Verstappen.

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

Mercedes clinch constructors’ title despite spins for Russell and Antonelli

Mercedes entered the weekend all but assured of claiming a constructors' title for the first time since 2021, just one weekend after Antonelli claimed his maiden drivers' crown.

The Italian was outpaced, however, by team mate George Russell in the wet Qualifying session, as the pair finished second and third quickest.

Russell had been left annoyed after missing out on pole when backing out of his lap in the best of the conditions, but the Briton had to serve a five-place grid penalty for an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) change, dropping him to P7 on the grid.

There was drama even before the start for Antonelli, with the new World Champion running wide at Turn 12 on his reconnaissance lap and spinning his car on the grass, before scrambling back to the pits undamaged.

As Antonelli grabbed the lead at the start, Russell worked his way up the order and pitted from P4 as drivers moved to slick tyres, only for him to spin on the damp pit exit.

After recovering to point the right way, Russell continued on the fringes of the top 10, while Antonelli lost his lead to Norris after a spin of his own at Turn 1.

Antonelli would lose further places after running wide at the opening corner to the Red Bull duo, while rain in the closing stages meant a stop for intermediate tyres, with Russell allowed to pass his team mate for P4.

Antonelli finished P5 and remained there despite being handed a five-second penalty post-race for an unsafe pit release at his final stop, the result not denying Mercedes this year's title.

Verstappen completes another epic Sao Paulo recovery

It was yet another epic recovery drive from Verstappen in Sao Paulo as the Red Bull driver stormed to the podium from the back of the grid.

He had taken a penalty after having several power unit components changed on his car but sliced through the field in the opening laps, eventually finishing in P2.

Interlagos has proved to be a happy hunting ground for Verstappen in recent seasons, winning the 2024 Grand Prix in the wet from P17, and finishing third last year after starting in the pit lane.

It was a double podium for Red Bull too, with Isack Hadjar finishing in P3 – the second double of the season after the duo did the same in Baku.

Having started in P4, the Frenchman moved up to P2 during the middle section of the race but received team orders to let Verstappen by after running wide and losing time at Turn 1.

Ferrari's 'complete disaster'

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton only scored six points between them, marking a disappointing race for Ferrari.

Hamilton had an impressive opening lap on his 400th F1 start, with an incredible charge through the field gaining him 11 places from his P20 grid position following his power unit grid penalties.

However, the performance of his intermediate tyres rapidly declined and he dropped back, hindered further by an investigation into him leaving the track and gaining an advantage, and a late spin – which all contributed to his P9 finish.

Meanwhile, Leclerc also had a grid drop penalty after replacing his ICE, but could not follow his team mate up the order in the opening laps.

He did gradually gain positions through the pit stops and switched to intermediate tyres at the right time, allowing him to cling on as the rain started to fall and eventually fight his way past Lawson for P7.

However, he was given a post-race five-second penalty for contact with the New Zealander, dropping him to P8 – with the Monegasque calling the day a “complete disaster”.

Lawson impresses yet again from the midfield

Lawson has been quietly putting together a very strong season for Racing Bulls, the Kiwi racer lying ninth in the standings, a long way clear of Pierre Gasly in P10.

His more than decent form was evident in Brazil, where he qualified fifth in Saturday’s rainstorm, showing he has what it takes in the wet before mixing it with the front runners from his P3 starting slot on Sunday, courtesy of grid penalties.

He overtook Norris on the opening lap as he got his elbows out, and even chased after Antonelli, before dropping back once the faster cars began to recover.

Nonetheless, he finished best of the midfield, showed his defensive skills in battling Leclerc late on to beat both Ferraris on a day where mistakes were easy to make. That scored his team more valuable points as they look to seal P5 in the teams’ standings.

Despite all of that, and despite having more than double the amount of points as his team mate Arvid Lindblad, Lawson is still not assured of his seat on the grid next year. Racing Bulls have yet to announce either driver for 2027, with Nikola Tsolov the man waiting in the wings.

Lawson has scored in 15 of the 20 Grands Prix contested so far this season, with a top finish of fifth back in Monaco. He even adapted well in his stint at Red Bull, jumping back up to the team in place of the injured Hadjar for three rounds, but whether all that is enough to secure a drive next season remains to be seen.

A contract extension for Interlagos as Brazil delivers another outstanding race

The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, better known as Interlagos, will be on the F1 calendar until at least 2035, something the drivers and fans have both rejoiced at.

That contract extension was announced ahead of a thrilling wet Qualifying session that saw the drivers show all their skills and no small amount of bravery as they barrelled around in treacherous conditions.

The Grand Prix delivered on action as well, with Verstappen once again carving his name into the record books with another superb recovery drive from the back all the way to P2. Hamilton also cut his way through early on, while there were spins, strategy dilemmas and plenty of overtakes to enjoy.

The track simply does not deliver straightforward Grands Prix, and with so many titles having been decided here down the years, it has seen the full range of emotions from some of the greats of the sport.

And with Ayrton Senna’s face easy to spot from some of the art around the paddock, Interlagos always offers a touch of nostalgia along with some brilliant racing.