Mercedes have secured their ninth Formula One constructors world championship and completed a title double in a wet Sao Paulo Grand Prix won by McLaren’s Lando Norris from pole position for the second year in a row.
The title, secured on Sunday, was the first team crown for Mercedes since 2021 and came a week after 20-year-old Italian Kimi Antonelli made headlines as the youngest drivers champion with four races to spare.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished second, putting on a masterclass from 21st on the grid due to engine penalties in a race that started and ended in the rain.
Teammate Isack Hadjar was third with George Russell fourth for Mercedes and Antonelli fifth with the fastest lap. After leading at the start, both made costly errors on an eventful afternoon.
Mercedes had needed to score only three points more than Ferrari to clinch the title, and the Italian team never threatened to prolong the fight on a treacherous track with Charles Leclerc eighth after a post-race penalty demoted him one place and Lewis Hamilton ninth in his 400th race.
“It was a very tough race, very, very tough,” Norris, the 2025 world champion, said of his 14th career win and 50th podium as well as his team’s first victory since August when he won the Dutch Grand Prix.
“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.
“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.”
Norris took the chequered flag, waved by Brazilian football forward Neymar, 14.602 seconds clear of Driver of the Day Verstappen.
Mercedes, whose engines also power McLaren, have now equalled Williams’ nine constructors championships.
“It was a very strong beginning of the season, and that kind of got us over the line,” team boss Toto Wolff said. “These last few races have been challenging at times. Today it was difficult, but overall, I’m so proud of the organisation.”
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was sixth with Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson seventh after a fine race that saw the New Zealander start third and run in second place for the first five laps.
Nico Hulkenberg took the final point for Audi in a race of spins, slippery moments and changeable conditions.
Verstappen moved further ahead in the driver standings in the race for second place overall, now 17 points clear of Russell, who moved up to third.
Source: www.aljazeera.com
