Mercedes has secured its ninth Formula One constructors world championship, completing a title double following a wet and challenging Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Lando Norris, driving for McLaren, claimed victory from pole position for the second consecutive year. This achievement marks the first team crown for Mercedes since 2021, arriving just one week after 20-year-old Italian driver Kimi Antonelli was crowned the youngest drivers champion with four races left in the season.
The race proved treacherous as rain defined both the start and the finish, leading to a series of spins and slippery conditions throughout the track. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass performance, recovering from 21st on the starting grid—a position forced by engine penalties—to finish in second place. Norris crossed the finish line 14.602 seconds ahead of the Dutchman, who was named Driver of the Day. Waved by Brazilian football forward Neymar, 14.602 seconds clear of Driver of the Day Verstappen, norris took the chequered flag.
Mercedes entered the weekend needing only three points more than Ferrari to seal the title. The Italian team failed to challenge for the championship as Charles Leclerc finished eighth following a post-race penalty, and Lewis Hamilton placed ninth in what was his 400th career race. Mercedes, whose engines also power the McLaren team, has now matched the nine constructors championships previously held by Williams.
Reflecting on his 14th career win and 50th podium finish, the 2025 world champion Lando Norris remarked, “It was a very tough race, very, very tough.” He noted the difficulty of managing the conditions, especially when switching to slick tires on a wet surface. “The main thing today was I kept it cool and didn’t make any mistakes and had the pace when I needed to. Nice to be back on the top step and what a place to do it as well,” he added. “A lot of challenges today with the conditions and going onto slicks in the wet is always tough, especially when you are pushing for the lead and trying to catch up a little bit,” added the Briton, who lost out to Antonelli when the start lights went out.
Team boss Toto Wolff credited the overall consistency of the season for the championship win. “It was a very strong beginning of the season, and that kind of got us over the line,” Wolff said. “These last few races have been challenging at times. Today it was difficult, but overall, I’m so proud of the organisation.”
Elsewhere on the track, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took sixth place, while Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson finished seventh after a strong start that saw him hold second place for the opening five laps.
Isack Hadjar finished third, ahead of Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, who placed fourth and fifth respectively after both experienced costly errors early in the race. Nico Hulkenberg secured the final point for Audi. In the drivers standings, Verstappen extended his lead in the race for second place, now sitting 17 points ahead of Russell.
