Norris wins rain-hit Brazil GP as Verstappen charges from P21 to second

Lando Norris won the Brazilian Grand Prix after 71 laps, taking his 14th Formula 1 victory. Max Verstappen turned a P21 start into second place, while Isack Hadjar finished third to complete a Red Bull double podium.

Rain left intermediates as the only tyre choice at the start. Pole-sitter Norris lost the lead to Kimi Antonelli, and Liam Lawson soon moved into second. The opening lap saw Lewis Hamilton rise from P20 to ninth and Verstappen from P21 to 12th. Hamilton's advance later stalled; Verstappen kept moving, passing Oscar Piastri and Alex Albon to reach seventh.

As the track dried, Hamilton was first to gamble on soft tyres. George Russell followed but spun on the pit-lane exit, losing time. Antonelli reported a problem with his Mercedes and suspected the suspension; later, he ran off at Turn 1 and handed the lead to Norris. Hadjar passed him, and Verstappen took third when Antonelli went wide again at the same corner.

Norris remained in control at the front, but Verstappen was struggling with the RB22's balance and complained that the car felt unmanageable. He still caught Hadjar and moved ahead with the help of team orders. Hadjar asked whether he would get the place back if Verstappen failed to pass Norris; his engineer said he would return to the question.

Verstappen stopped again for fresh softs, with the front wing adjusted in an attempt to improve the balance. Norris stopped soon afterwards, briefly putting Hadjar in the lead.

When rain returned late, the track grew wetter and intermediates came back. Norris pitted with a 15-second lead and kept control of the finish. Hamilton waited too long to stop, spun on the straight leading to the start-finish line and limited the damage.

Mercedes also clinched the constructors' championship for the first time since 2021, a week after Antonelli's title.