Kimi Antonelli, the reigning 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion, lost a potential victory at the São Paulo Grand Prix due to an unexplained spin. The incident occurred at Turn 1 of the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, costing him the lead of the race. Antonelli ultimately finished fifth in a challenging contest.
Despite Antonelli’s individual setback, his Mercedes team secured the 2026 Constructors’ Championship. This marks Mercedes’ ninth constructors’ title and their first since 2021, completing a double championship success for the season.
The race, held on Sunday, November 8, 2026, was characterized by highly variable weather conditions. The 71-lap event began on Intermediate tyres, transitioned to slicks, and concluded with a return to Intermediate compounds as rain intensified.
Antonelli, starting from second on the grid, made a strong start to overtake pole-sitter Lando Norris and establish an early lead. He maintained this advantage through the initial phase of the race, demonstrating competitive pace on Intermediate tyres.
The pivotal moment arrived on Lap 20, shortly after Antonelli had pitted for slick tyres. He spun at Turn 1, losing control of his Mercedes W17. This error allowed Norris to reclaim the lead, which he then held to the finish.
Antonelli reported an immediate and unexplained rear-end instability after switching to the soft compound tyres. He described feeling ‘something weird with the car’ and noted the issue was particularly prevalent in high-speed left-hand corners.
Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin confirmed that teammate George Russell also experienced similar balance concerns during the race. Russell finished fourth, one position ahead of Antonelli.
Team Principal Toto Wolff stated that Mercedes would launch an investigation into the reported balance issues. Wolff indicated that both drivers described ‘very, very strange behaviour of the car,’ suggesting a potential problem with suspension or tyre pressures.
Wolff also mentioned that Max Verstappen, who finished second, reported similar car behaviour. This led to speculation within the team that Mercedes might have made an error with tyre pressures or car setup.
Lando Norris secured his third victory of the season, finishing 14.6 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. Verstappen delivered a notable performance, recovering from 21st on the grid due to a power unit penalty to claim second place.
Isack Hadjar completed the podium, securing third place for Red Bull, marking a double podium finish for the team. George Russell finished fourth, contributing crucial points to Mercedes’ championship effort.
Oscar Piastri finished sixth for McLaren, while Charles Leclerc initially crossed the line seventh for Ferrari. Liam Lawson secured eighth place for Racing Bulls.
Lewis Hamilton, in his 400th Formula 1 appearance, finished ninth for Ferrari after starting 20th. Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the points positions in tenth for Audi.
Post-race, Antonelli received a five-second time penalty for an unsafe pit release. Mercedes released him into the path of Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, but the penalty did not alter Antonelli’s fifth-place finish.
Charles Leclerc also incurred a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Liam Lawson in the closing stages. This penalty dropped the Ferrari driver to eighth position in the final classification.
Mercedes clinched the Constructors’ Championship by outscoring Ferrari by more than the required three points at Interlagos. The team had entered the weekend with a 126-point lead over Ferrari.
Mercedes’ success in 2026 follows a period of development under new technical regulations, which included significant changes to aerodynamics and power units. The team had secured 12 victories from 20 races prior to São Paulo.
