Norris wins in the rain at Interlagos as Verstappen charges to second

Lando Norris won the São Paulo Grand Prix for McLaren on Sunday, holding off Max Verstappen in a wet race at Interlagos. It is Norris's third win of the 2026 season, and it keeps him firmly in the fight for the drivers' title. Formula 1 described it as a thriller.

Norris started from pole position, the first place on the grid. It was the third time in three years that he had taken pole at this race, according to McLaren. Saturday's qualifying was delayed by nearly an hour by rain, and Norris said the conditions were some of the wettest he had ever driven in.

Rain changes everything at a circuit like Interlagos. Grip falls away, cars slide, and drivers have to decide when to switch to tyres made for wet tracks. Those calls can cost or gain a driver several places in a single lap.

Verstappen, who started 21st on the grid, fought his way up to second. Formula 1 also voted him Driver of the Day. Isack Hadjar finished third, and George Russell came fourth after spinning during the race.

Mercedes won the Constructors' championship, the title for teams, at the same race. Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli were both given penalties after the chequered flag, which changed their final positions in the results.

Norris has now won in Brazil before. He also won the sprint race at this venue in 2024, which cut Verstappen's championship lead to 44 points at the time. BBC commentator Andrew Benson said on The Chequered Flag podcast that Norris was "in a league of his own" in Brazil.

McLaren had brought new front and rear wings and new floor parts to the weekend, and the team said so in its race preview. Those upgrades were designed to add downforce, the grip pressing the car onto the track, which matters in fast corners. Norris made the most of his car and the conditions on the day.

The result matters for the standings. Norris's win adds to a title battle that now has fewer races left to run. Every point from here is worth more, because there is less time to recover from a bad weekend.