Mercedes clinch ninth constructors’ title after São Paulo setbacks

Mercedes clinched its ninth constructors’ title at the São Paulo Grand Prix, with George Russell fourth and Kimi Antonelli fifth providing more than enough to secure the championship.

Antonelli surged into the lead off the line while Russell made up places from P7. The swing came after both stopped for softs: Russell spun at the pit-lane exit and dropped to 10th. He said he had made a mistake there, perhaps taking too much risk after seeing an opportunity to fight for the win.

Antonelli said the rear of his car felt strange and very unstable, particularly in some high-speed corners, after the switch to softs. He lost the lead in a spin at Turn 1; he said the spin flat-spotted the tyres and compromised the rest of his race. He later ran wide and lost second place. Antonelli said he felt the win had been there, and that the pace was strong again when a new set went on later.

When rain returned late, Russell pitted for intermediates first. His tyres reached temperature before Antonelli’s, so Mercedes swapped the pair. Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said the team needed to understand the unusual balance Antonelli reported after switching to slicks; Russell had reported similar concerns, Shovlin said.

Antonelli was handed a five-second post-race penalty for an unsafe release in the pit lane, but it did not change his fifth-place finish.