Lando Norris claims Sao Paulo Grand Prix win as Mercedes take title

McLaren’s

Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool

Outgoing world champion, Norris claimed his 14th career win at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to beat both Red Bull drivers of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, in second and third, respectively.

It was a tough race for the drivers as the event had rain fall prior to the start, prompting an all-intermediate start from the competitors. However, the track soon dried to allow the slicks to be ran before raining again at the end, to revert back to the green-walled tyres.

At the same time, Mercedes went on to claim their ninth world title after both their drivers; George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finished head of both Ferrari drivers to bring back their first piece of team silverware since 2021.

It also marks the first double championship for the Brackley since 2020, when Lewis Hamilton claimed his seventh world title.

So, how did the Sao Paulo Grand Prix unfolded?

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First Sector

It was a great start from Kimi Antonelli, who snatched the lead from Lando Norris off the line, but the outgoing world champion was quickly swamped by Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson who climbed to second after the Senna Esses. Hamilton, on the other hand, had a fantastic start, climbing up to 10th by the fifth corner on lap one. 

A couple of drivers were noted for starting the race out of position; Williams’ Alexander Albon and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. 

At the same time, Hamilton made a mistake on the run up the hill towards the pit straight, and was soon overtaken by Verstappen, to end lap two. At the end of the following lap, Verstappen dived up the inside of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at T14, but lost traction allowing him to be repassed by Piastri. 

The two tussled with Albon holding up the pair, in seventh, but by turn four, Verstappen had completed the move on Piastri and made light work of Albon into the corner. 

Hamilton was under investigation for leaving the track and gaining an advantage on the opening lap, after the seven-time world champion snatched 10th from Haas’ Oliver Bearman. However, there was no further action as the #44 gave back the track position to his compatriot. 

The track continued to improve by lap 10, with Hamilton claiming it wasn’t far from slicks. The seven-time world champion was struggling on his inters, asking to come into the pits for his slick compounds but he was told they were not at the crossover. 

On lap 15, after several laps of asking to pit, Hamilton became the first driver to venture into the pit lane to slap on a set of soft compound tyres, ahead of Williams’ Carlos Sainz. As a result of Hamilton’s quick slick lap, the pit lane became a flurry of action as many drivers pulled into the pits. 

However, Mercedes’ George Russell had a disaster on the pit exit as he spun out on the damp exit road. The Briton did not block the pit exit, fortunately, but he dropped down the order to seventh overall. 

Antonelli complained, on lap 19, on his second lap on his soft-tyre run, complaining about the car. It was initially suggested it was surface temperature on his tyres. However, on lap 20, into turn one, Antonelli spun out under braking. He kept away from the walls but Norris was close enough to claim the race lead. 

Lando Norris claims dramatic wet pole for Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Second Sector

Whilst Verstappen continued to have radio problems, persisting from previous races, but Antonelli was struggling to keep his car on the track at turn one as the Champion-elect ran wide once more into turn one. The Italian was soon overtaken by Verstappen after the Mercedes returned to the track. 

There was a suspected risk of rain expected to hit around lap 40. 

On lap 35, there was a tense midfield battle between the 11th to 13th runners of Albon, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Albon ran wide into turn one and rejoined behind Alonso, but just ahead of Gasly. However, the Williams was able to regain his lost position on Alonso before falling back to 13th at the start of the following lap. 

The stewards deemed Albon had returned to the circuit unsafely and later awarded the Williams driver with a five-second time penalty. 

Hamilton, on lap 39, pulled into the pit lane for a fresh set of soft tyres, right at the point he looked to be in prime position to overtake Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg. He returned to the track in 14th, a lap down on Norris, who overtook and lapped him on his way out of the pit lane. 

The seven-time world champion quickly put in the fastest lap, finding himself on the gearbox of the outgoing world champion. On Lap 44, the #44 brought himself back onto the lead lap with a move on the McLaren into turn one. 

Two laps later, Verstappen pitted from second – 11 seconds off the back of Norris – to put on a fresh set of soft tyres and fell to fifth, 36 seconds adrift of the race leader. 

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Final sector

On lap 49, Norris finally pulled into the pit lane for his second stop, booting on a set of soft compound tyres. In turn, the Briton lost the race lead, falling to fourth overall, behind Piastri. It allowed Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar to inherit the race lead ahead of Antonelli and Piastri, who were all yet to pit for a second time. 

Five laps later, Norris returned to the lead of the race after the top runners finally returned to the pits for their second stops. At the same time, as Russell and Antonelli sat in fourth and fifth, respectively, whilst Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied seventh and ninth, it meant the constructors championship was on course to return to Brackley. 

Norris was informed that the light rain hitting the race was set to remain with heavier rain expected by lap 65.

As expected the rain arrived, but it was not enough to force the drivers to pull into the pit lane for intermediates. On lap 62, Antonelli struggled to get his car around the Senna Esses. Action returned to the pit lane as drivers pulled in for either their second or third stops, reverting back onto the intermediates. 

Hamilton tried to gamble by staying on the soft tyres but after the seven-time world champion spun out on the top of the hill, the #44 Ferrari peeled into the pit lane, becoming the last driver to swap back onto the green-walled tyres. 

By the end of the race, Norris managed to claim victory ahead of both Red Bull’s, who claimed a double podium with Verstappen and Hadjar in second and third. The chequered flag came at the right time as the rain fell heavily as the drivers pulled into the pit lane on their cool-down laps. 

In addition, as both Russell and Antonelli finished ahead of both Ferrari’s it was enough for the Mercedes team to claim the constructors championship. 

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The Sao Paulo Grand Prix classification

1. Lando Norris, McLaren
2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing +14.602s
3. Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing +24.485s
4. George Russell, Mercedes – Constructors Champions +33.991s
5. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes – Constructors Champions +36.017s
6. Oscar Piastri, McLaren +56.475s
7. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +73.586s
8. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls +75.402s
9. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari +1L
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Audi +1L
11. Arvid Lindbald, Racing Bulls +1L
12. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +1L
13. Franco Colapinto, Alpine +1L
14. Pierre Gasly, Alpine +1L
15. Alexander Albon, Williams +1L
16. Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi +1L
17. Oliver Bearman, Haas +1L
18. Sergio Perez, Cadillac +2L
19. Carlos Sainz, Williams +2L
20. Rafael Camara, Haas +2L
21. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin – DNF
22. Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac – DNF

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