Formula 1
Norris wins rain-hit São Paulo GP as Verstappen charges from 21st: Mercedes take the title
In fickle rain at Interlagos, Lando Norris won the São Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday, his third victory of the season and his second in a row in Brazil. Starting from pole, the McLaren driver beat Max Verstappen by 14.602 seconds after a stunning charge from 21st to second, with Isack Hadjar third. Behind them, Mercedes clinched the constructors championship, their first since 2021.
A poor start, a controlled race
It had all started badly for Norris. On a soaked track, on intermediate tyres, the Briton lost the benefit of pole at the very first corner: Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the newly crowned world champion, took the lead, and Liam Lawson also slipped past. But Norris did not panic. He worked his way back to the front, then set the pace, leading 47 of the 71 laps. A slick McLaren pit stop kept him ahead, and he managed the rain that returned late in the race perfectly to cross the line in 1h35m23.504s, 14.602 seconds clear.
Verstappen, the charge from the back of the grid
The drive of the day, though, belonged to Max Verstappen. Starting 21st, at the back of the grid, the four-time world champion gained 19 places to finish second, 14.6 seconds behind Norris. Another spectacular comeback in Brazil, where the Dutchman seems to specialise in them. Behind him, his team-mate Isack Hadjar completed the podium, 24.485 seconds behind the winner: a Red Bull double behind the Norris McLaren. Verstappen stays second in the drivers standings, 17 points ahead of George Russell.
Mercedes champions, for the first time since 2021
The celebrations, though, were at Mercedes. George Russell, fourth, and Antonelli, fifth, delivered the German team its ninth constructors championship, the first since 2021. Russell had a hectic race: he spun on the pit-lane exit after switching to slick tyres, then fought back through the field and passed Antonelli on team orders. Antonelli, already crowned drivers world champion last weekend, finished just behind his team-mate. After five years without the title, Mercedes are back on top.
Next up: Las Vegas, and the Bruins in the NHL
Behind the podium, Nico Hulkenberg scored the final point of the race after a late pass on Arvid Lindblad, despite serving a 10-second penalty. Lance Stroll retired and Valtteri Bottas could not even take the start, a wheel nut cross-threaded on the grid. On the podium, Norris even broke his champagne bottle while striking it on the floor, in a fit of laughter shared with Verstappen and Hadjar. The championship now heads to Las Vegas, from November 20 to 22, for the first leg of the final triple-header of the season. In the NHL on Sunday, the Bruins beat the Panthers 4-1: Jeremy Swayman made 40 saves and Boston made it four straight wins at the top of the Atlantic Division.