Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team clinched their ninth Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship at the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The title was secured at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, marking Mercedes’ first Constructors’ title since 2021. This achievement places Mercedes level with Williams in the all-time Constructors’ standings.
The championship was confirmed despite neither Mercedes driver, Kimi Antonelli nor George Russell, reaching the podium. Russell finished fourth, with Antonelli in fifth, providing sufficient points to mathematically secure the title over Ferrari.
Lando Norris of McLaren won the 71-lap race from pole position, his third victory of the 2026 season. Norris navigated the wet-dry-wet conditions effectively, leading for 47 laps.
Max Verstappen delivered a notable performance for Red Bull Racing, climbing from 21st on the grid to finish second. Verstappen incurred a 30-place grid penalty for exceeding his power unit component allocation, taking a fifth new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and exhaust set.
Isack Hadjar completed the podium for Red Bull, securing his second podium finish of the season. The Red Bull team faced an internal query during the race regarding a potential position swap between Hadjar and Verstappen, which was not executed.
Antonelli, the reigning Drivers’ Champion, experienced a challenging race. He initially led from second on the grid but spun at Turn 1 while attempting to build tyre temperature after a switch to slicks. He also faced a post-race investigation for an unsafe release from his pit box.
Russell’s race included a spin in the pit lane exit after changing to slick tyres, causing him to lose several positions. Despite this incident, he recovered to fourth place. Russell later reported a lack of pace for both Mercedes cars when switching back to intermediate tyres in the closing stages.
McLaren introduced a significant upgrade package for the MCL40 at Sao Paulo, including a new front wing, rear wing, beam wing, and floor components. These updates were aimed at improving performance and gathering data for the 2027 car. Oscar Piastri finished sixth for McLaren.
Ferrari endured a difficult weekend, with Charles Leclerc finishing eighth and Lewis Hamilton ninth. Both drivers started with grid penalties due to power unit component changes. Hamilton started 20th and Leclerc 14th.
Ferrari’s performance was hampered by difficulties in managing tyre temperatures across varying conditions and a persistent top speed deficit. Hamilton, making his 400th Formula 1 start, initially gained 11 positions but then struggled with overheating rear tyres.
Liam Lawson, driving for Racing Bulls, finished eighth after a post-race five-second penalty for Charles Leclerc, who had tagged Lawson on the penultimate lap. Lawson’s contract situation for 2027 remains undecided, despite having signed a one-year extension for the 2026 season.
Rafael Camara made his Formula 1 debut for Haas, replacing Esteban Ocon. The Brazilian driver experienced a challenging home Grand Prix, crashing in both Q1 and Q2. He ultimately finished the race in 20th position.
