Following a rain-affected qualifying session and a series of grid penalties, the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP at Interlagos promised an unpredictable race. McLaren’s Lando Norris secured pole position ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and newly crowned World Champion Kimi Antonelli, who moved up to the front row after his teammate received a five-place grid penalty.
Liam Lawson and Nico Hülkenberg also benefited from the reshuffled starting order, while Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen faced recovery drives from the back of the grid after their teams made extensive power unit changes. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also received a ten-place penalty, adding to the Italian team’s challenges. With Valtteri Bottas starting from the pit lane, leaving an empty place on the grid. As the whole grid started on the intermediate tyres, due to the slippery track after some rain in Brazil.
With several frontrunners starting out of position and Interlagos’ reputation for producing unpredictable races, the 20th round of the 2026 F1 season promised plenty of action.
Verstappen and Hamilton charge through the field
Antonelli made a strong start to the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP, leading the field into Turn 1 as Lawson overtook Norris to claim P2. The Racing Bulls driver took advantage of the opening lap, while Norris dropped to third after starting from pole position. Further back, Alonso ran off the track avoiding Ollie Bearman but managed to rejoin safely without affecting the other drivers. Both of them slipped outside the Top 10.
Hamilton made an impressive start from the back of the grid, gaining 11 positions on the opening lap to climb to P9. Verstappen also made significant progress, charging through the field and gaining ten places to move into P11. Both drivers wasted little time making up ground after their extensive power unit changes forced them to start towards the back of the grid.
Hülkenberg, on the other hand, enjoyed a strong opening phase, maintaining his position inside the top ten as he ran in P6 after the first few laps.
Verstappen continued his recovery drive as he closed in on Hamilton, with the two former World Champions battling for position. The Red Bull driver eventually found a way past the Ferrari, although Hamilton immediately attempted to reclaim the place. Despite his efforts, the seven-time World Champion could not find a way back past Verstappen into Turn 1.
At the front, Antonelli began to establish a comfortable advantage over Lawson, extending his lead to 3.1 seconds. The newly crowned World Champion continued to pull away, while Lawson looked to maintain his position ahead of Norris.
Verstappen charges through the field as Lawson struggles for grip
Further back, Verstappen continued his charge through the field, closing in on Piastri. Despite the McLaren driver’s efforts to defend his position, Verstappen managed to overtake both Piastri and Albon in quick succession. At the front, Norris increased the pressure on Lawson and eventually found a way past after the Racing Bulls driver ran wide and struggled for grip on his intermediate tyres. Lawson subsequently lost another position to Hadjar, with Russell now directly behind him.
Meanwhile, Piastri overtook Albon to move into P8, while Hamilton also began closing in on the Williams driver. However, the stewards investigated Hamilton for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, prompting Ferrari to instruct him to give the position back to Bearman. The seven-time World Champion subsequently dropped to P11.
By lap eight, Verstappen had climbed to P6, while Piastri continued his recovery by overtaking Hülkenberg. Lindblad also found a way past Hamilton to claim P11, leaving the two Ferrari drivers running directly behind each other.
Despite his impressive start, Lawson continued to struggle with tyre grip and could not maintain the pace of the drivers ahead. With Verstappen closing in behind him, the Racing Bulls driver faced increasing pressure as he fought to defend his position.
Antonelli extends his lead as drivers gamble on slick tyres
At the front, Russell moved into the podium positions after overtaking Hadjar for P3. Further back, Alonso found a way past Hamilton, who appeared to struggle with his tyres despite gaining 11 positions on the opening lap. Lawson, meanwhile, dropped to P6 as Verstappen continued his charge through the field, with most drivers still running on intermediate tyres.
As a dry line began to emerge, Hamilton pushed Ferrari to switch to slick tyres, hoping to gain an advantage over those remaining on intermediates. At the front, Antonelli extended his lead in the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP to 6.9 seconds, with Norris unable to match the newly crowned World Champion’s pace.
Hamilton eventually got his wish, becoming one of the first drivers to switch to soft tyres. Sainz followed him into the pits, with the pair rejoining in P20 and P21, respectively. Their decision gave the remaining teams an opportunity to assess the performance of slick tyres as track conditions continued to improve.
Although the soft tyres initially showed promising pace, several sections of the circuit remained slippery, forcing drivers to manage their grip carefully. Norris, Lawson, Hadjar and Russell were among those who subsequently headed into the pits to make the switch. While most drivers managed to bring their tyres up to temperature without major difficulties, Russell struggled for grip and spun at the pit exit.
Norris takes the lead as Antonelli struggles with grip and suspension issues
Antonelli emerged from the pits in the lead, but Norris remained close behind on warmer tyres as the McLaren driver looked to reclaim the top spot. Hadjar held P3 ahead of Verstappen and Lawson. On lap 19, Antonelli reported “something weird” with his car as Norris continued to close the gap to the Italian. Further back, Lindblad put pressure on Albon and Russell but struggled to find a way past.
Norris eventually took the lead after Antonelli lost control of his Mercedes and spun off the track at Turn 1. Although the Italian managed to rejoin, Hadjar was right behind him and capitalised on the mistake, overtaking Antonelli at Turn 3 to move into P2. Meanwhile, Piastri set the fastest lap of the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP.
Further back, Lawson struggled to match Verstappen’s pace, with the gap between the two growing to 10.9 seconds. The Racing Bulls driver also came under increasing pressure from Piastri, who eventually overtook him to claim P5. Antonelli’s difficulties continued as he lost grip once again, allowing Verstappen to move past into P3. The Mercedes driver subsequently reported suspension issues over the team radio.
Elsewhere, Câmara struggled with grip during his F1 debut, leaving the Brazilian down in P21. Lindblad managed to overtake Albon for P9, while the stewards placed Pérez under investigation for a yellow flag infringement.
Red Bull orders position swap as Verstappen chases Norris
Further back, Russell closed in on Hülkenberg as the Mercedes driver looked to overtake the German for P7. Despite staying within a second of the Audi, Russell initially struggled to find a way past. Meanwhile, Hamilton overtook Lindblad and began closing the gap to Russell ahead of him.
With several teams warning their drivers over the radio that rain could arrive around lap 40 of the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP, changing weather conditions threatened to shake up the running order once again. After several unsuccessful attempts, Russell finally overtook Hülkenberg to claim P7 and set his sights on Lawson ahead. Elsewhere, Lance Stroll became the latest driver to retire from the race after encountering technical issues with his Aston Martin.
Meanwhile, Alonso overtook Albon after the Williams driver ran off the track, with Albon rejoining just behind the Aston Martin. Although Albon attempted to reclaim the position, he could not find a way past Alonso and soon came under pressure from Gasly. The Alpine driver capitalised on the opportunity and overtook Albon shortly afterwards.
At the front, Hadjar lost valuable time after running over the wet kerbs, allowing his teammate Verstappen to close in behind him. Norris, meanwhile, maintained a 7.8-second advantage at the front of the field. With Verstappen showing stronger pace, Red Bull instructed their drivers to swap positions, hoping to give the Dutchman a better chance of closing the gap to Norris and challenging for victory.
Hamilton sets fastest lap as fresh tyres shake up the running order
Meanwhile, Gasly headed into the pits for a fresh set of soft tyres, with Hamilton following shortly afterwards. Leclerc, on the other hand, overtook Alonso for P10 to move into the points. His Ferrari teammate rejoined the track directly behind race leader Norris, one lap down, as he worked to bring his fresh tyres up to temperature.
Elsewhere, the stewards investigated Gasly and Albon for an unsafe rejoin, eventually handing the Williams driver a five-second penalty. Hamilton’s decision to switch to fresh soft tyres quickly paid off, as the seven-time World Champion set the fastest lap of the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP before improving his own benchmark on the following lap.
By lap 43, the rain that several teams had anticipated had yet to arrive, allowing drivers to consider another stint on slick tyres. Russell, meanwhile, closed the gap to Lawson and once again put pressure on the Racing Bulls driver in the battle for P6. Despite Lawson’s efforts to defend his position, Russell eventually found a way past to move up the order.
At the front, Verstappen headed into the pits for a fresh set of tyres, allowing Hadjar to reclaim P2. The Frenchman, however, opted to remain on his current tyres, hoping to make them last until the chequered flag.
Rain arrives at Interlagos as pit stops shake up the race lead
The expected light rain finally arrived at Interlagos on lap 48 of the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP, adding another challenge for the drivers. Further back, Hülkenberg closed in on Colapinto as he attempted to overtake the Alpine driver for P10 but initially struggled to find a way past.
Meanwhile, Lawson and Norris headed into the pits, rejoining in P8 and P4, respectively, as Hadjar inherited the race lead. Hülkenberg eventually overtook Colapinto, but the stewards placed the Audi driver under investigation after he left the track while completing the move. Despite initially expressing confidence that he could reach the chequered flag on his current tyres, Hadjar received instructions from Red Bull to pit for a fresh set, allowing Antonelli to reclaim the lead.
Further back, Colapinto came under pressure from Lindblad as the Racing Bulls driver looked to move into P11. Although Lindblad remained close behind, he struggled to find an opportunity to overtake. However, Colapinto ran off the track and gained an advantage while defending his position. Unlike Hülkenberg, the Alpine driver gave the position back, allowing Lindblad to move into P11. Hülkenberg, meanwhile, received a ten-second time penalty for his earlier infringement.
At the front, Antonelli headed into the pits, handing the lead back to Norris. The Mercedes driver also lost a position to Hadjar as he rejoined the track, allowing the Red Bull driver to move back into the podium places.
Rain returns to Interlagos as drivers battle for position in closing stages
By lap 56, McLaren warned that heavier rain could arrive around lap 68 of the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP. Meanwhile, Antonelli closed in on his Mercedes teammate Russell, who allowed the Italian through to take advantage of his fresher tyres. Further back, Lawson put pressure on Leclerc in the battle for P7 as the rain began to intensify. The Racing Bulls driver eventually found a way past the Ferrari and quickly extended the gap.
Mercedes also warned its drivers about the possibility of heavier rain at Interlagos, predicting that conditions could deteriorate enough to require intermediate tyres. With another change in weather approaching, teams faced further strategic decisions that could influence the outcome of the race.
The predicted rain arrived with 11 laps remaining, making track conditions increasingly challenging. Despite the worsening weather, teams initially kept their drivers on slick tyres. Meanwhile, Antonelli closed in on Hadjar in the battle for P3, putting pressure on the Red Bull driver as he fought to defend his podium position. The Italian briefly lost grip but managed to keep his Mercedes on the track.
Further back, Hamilton closed the gap to Lawson as Race Control disabled overtake mode due to the deteriorating conditions. With the rain continuing to intensify, several drivers headed into the pits to switch to intermediate tyres, setting up another potential shake-up in the closing stages of the race.
Heavy rain challenges drivers as Norris maintains his lead at Interlagos
As the rain continued to intensify at Interlagos, the leading drivers headed into the pits for fresh intermediate tyres, with track conditions becoming increasingly challenging. Meanwhile, Hamilton briefly triggered a yellow flag near the pit entry after losing grip in the slippery conditions on his dry tyres. He spun and clipped the wall but lightly with his rear wing. The 41-year-old continued on after getting on inters.
Further up the field, Russell began closing the gap to his Mercedes teammate Antonelli, while Hadjar managed to extend his advantage over the drivers behind him in P3. With Russell showing stronger pace, Mercedes once again instructed its drivers to swap positions, hoping to maximise their chances of challenging the frontrunners in the closing stages of the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP.
At the front, Norris maintained a comfortable 10.9-second lead despite the worsening conditions. Meanwhile, the stewards noted Antonelli for a potential unsafe release in the pit lane, adding another concern for Mercedes. Further back, Hülkenberg overtook Lindblad to move into P10 and return to the points.
As the rain grew heavier, Leclerc closed in on Lawson in the battle for P7. The Ferrari driver continued to put pressure on the Racing Bulls driver, who briefly ran wide and allowed Leclerc to reduce the gap. However, despite staying close behind, Leclerc struggled to find a way past as Lawson continued to defend his position.
Meanwhile, Russell and Antonelli appeared to struggle with the balance of their Mercedes cars in the increasingly wet conditions, preventing them from closing the gap to the leading three drivers. With the rain showing no signs of easing, both Mercedes drivers faced a difficult final few laps, while Leclerc continued his attempts to overtake Lawson.
Norris wins wet race as Mercedes become constructoers champions
On the final lap, Leclerc continued to put pressure on Lawson in the battle for P7, with the two drivers making slight contact as the Ferrari attempted to find a way past. Leclerc eventually completed the overtake, while Lawson experienced another difficult moment after losing grip over the kerbs. Despite the scare, the Racing Bulls driver managed to keep his car on the track and continue towards the chequered flag.
Race Control noted the contact between Leclerc and Lawson, with the incident potentially subject to further investigation after the race. The stewards also had yet to reach a decision regarding Antonelli’s earlier unsafe release in the pit lane, leaving both incidents unresolved as the race approached its conclusion.
At the front, Norris held on to secure victory at the 2026 F1 São Paulo GP, overcoming changing weather conditions and several strategic challenges throughout the race. Verstappen completed an impressive recovery drive from the back of the grid to finish second, while Hadjar rounded out the podium in P3 after a strong performance in the difficult conditions.
Russell and Antonelli crossed the line in P4 and P5, respectively, securing valuable points for Mercedes. Their combined result was enough to seal the 2026 Constructors’ Championship for the German manufacturer, marking its first title since 2021 and bringing an end to a five-year wait for another championship triumph.
