Lando Norris went from pole to victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix as the rain returned at Interlagos.

The McLaren driver emerged victorious from the wet-dry-wet race, as Mercedes secured the Constructors’ Championship despite spins for both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Red Bull completed the podium in Sao Paulo.

Lando Norris wins Brazilian GP, Mercedes champions

While not yet at the intensity seen on Saturday, the rain had returned ahead of lights out at Interlagos, making for a damp and greasy surface.

Kimi Antonelli provided a demonstration of just how treacherous it was out there as, on his lap to the grid, he locked-up his Mercedes at Juncao and headed over the grass.

“Undriveable” was his word for the conditions.

Intermediate tyres were the starting compound of choice throughout the grid.

The outgoing world champion Lando Norris and incoming Antonelli made for an intriguing front row. Meanwhile, there would more than a watchful eye on Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who started from the back due to engine penalties.

Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac had been wheeled off the grid pre-race with a stuck wheel nut.

Fernando Alonso, starting eighth in his Aston Martin, said the track was drier than he had thought.

Lights out! A good start from the front row all-round. Antonelli’s was better as he went down the inside of Norris into Turn 1.

Hamilton was already on the brink of the top 10, and it was only the first lap.

He was up to ninth as the second tour of Interlagos began, Hamilton joining Alonso in the F1 400 club today, with his 400th grand prix start.

His progress was vital, as Mercedes only needed to outscore Ferrari by three points to become Constructors’ champions.

Verstappen was also into the top 10, but the Dutchman, alongside former teammate Alex Albon, had been noted for a potential false start.

Wide out of Juncao, former title rivals did a switcheroo, Verstappen out-dragging Hamilton up the start/finish and into P9.

Cleared by the FIA stewards, Verstappen was on a charge, clearing Oscar Piastri at Turn 3 and Albon, also green-lighted by the stewards, at T4.

Back out front, Lawson, who had got Norris, was providing a blockage as Antonelli pulled away. Lap 6 and Norris had popped that cork in the bottle, but the Mercedes was now five seconds clear.

Hamilton was about to drop out of the top 10. The stewards were not happy with how he had passed Oliver Bearman on the first lap. Ferrari gave the order, and he conceded position to his compatriot.

He also lost out to Arvid Lindblad and teammate Leclerc was on his tail.

Leclerc came through at Juncao, the Ferraris went side-by-side up the start/finish, with the Monegasque completing that pass into T1. No Ferrari dramas this time.

Alonso was next through, Hamilton sinking like a stone as he told Ferrari that a swap to slick tyres was close. The Scuderia did not agree.

Leclerc was coming under pressure from the Aston Martin.

No such dramas for Antonelli, who now, Lap 14, led by eight seconds.

Hamilton was in at the end of Lap 15, after persistent requests. He went on to brand new soft tyres.

The Ferrari was flying. Norris and Russell were among those to pit at the end of L16. Russell had spun at the pit exit. He righted the Mercedes, but had lost significant time. He had been passed by Piastri who also stopped for slicks.

Antonelli was in next time around, Verstappen too. The Mercedes had retained the lead over Norris.

It was soft tyres throughout with all drivers having now pitted.

“Something is weird with the car.” Antonelli was under pressure from Norris.

He spun into Turn 1, sending Norris into the lead, just about holding second from Hadjar.

It was a temporary reprieve, as Hadjar went around the outside by the time they reached T2.

“The car is pulling on one side when accelerating,” said Antonelli. Verstappen was on his way, albeit with a radio playing up once more.

Antonelli was off again at T1 and Verstappen gladly accepted that podium position.

Hamilton had worked his way back to the foot of the points. Leclerc was sandwiched between Alpines further back.

Russell was working on his recovery mission, as after several laps of frustration, he finally went around the outside of Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi into the first turn, up to seventh.

Lance Stroll had made it to Lap 32 before the all-too-familiar call came to retire his Aston Martin. He made it to the pit entry.

The second Aston Martin was still going strong. Albon went wide at T1 under sustained Alonso pressure. The pair delivered a thrilling battle for the next half a lap, the Spaniard ultimately emerging in 11th.

Halfway through the race and Norris was flying, almost eight seconds clear of Hadjar, who was falling into the clutches of his teammate. Red Bull wasted little time in swapping its drivers around.

There were rain cells in the area, but Interlagos was dodging them for now as Norris further extended his lead.

As such, Hamilton was in again, end of Lap 39, for a tidy swap to another set of softs. He was lapped by Norris as he re-joined the circuit.

The Red Bull switcheroo was not yet paying off. Hadjar had hung on to his teammate and was querying whether this order would be maintained. Verstappen insisted that he could not go to the end, as the team believed Norris could be trying to do.

Speaking of Norris, Hamilton had caught the leader and unlapped himself into T1.

Verstappen boxed on L46 for another set of softs. Four laps later, Norris responded, also for softs. Piastri quickly jumped out the way of his teammate.

Hadjar was in the next lap, as the soft-tyre theme continued. Russell was now between the Red Bulls, but with the Brit trying to go to the end, Hadjar was going to have a major grip advantage.

Antonelli’s pace had stabilised. He was in on L54 for, you guessed it, softs, and came out behind the Hadjar/Russell battle just as the Frenchman passed his teammate. Russell was told not to hold the sister car up once it arrived. He did not.

Just to add a fresh curveball, some rain had found its way to the track. It was only light at the moment, but there was potential for the intensity to ramp up. Mercedes thought it could be inters level.

There was a swap at Ferrari as Leclerc allowed Hamilton through into eighth.

As the rain intensified, Hadjar was coming under heavy pressure from Antonelli. But focus was turning to self-preservation. The T1/2 section was super slippery.

In came the leaders for inters as L63 began. Hamilton had tried another lap on slicks and went spinning up the hill out of Juncao. His Ferrari lived to tell the tale, making it to pit-lane for inters.

Antonelli was struggling as Russell was let through under team order. The Italian was later placed under post-race investigation for a potential Mercedes unsafe release into the path of Franco Colapinto’s Alpine.

It was victory in fine fashion for Norris, as Verstappen and Hadjar ensured a double Red Bull podium. Another sublime Verstappen comeback drive at Interlagos.