Sao Paulo Grand Prix result: Lando Norris wins as Mercedes secure constructors’ championship

Verstappen had made speedy progress up from his position at the back.

Initially, Lewis Hamilton, who had started alongside the Red Bull, progressed faster, and was ninth by lap two, but Verstappen soon got into his stride and was passed the Ferrari within a further two laps and continued his forward progress.

By lap 10, Verstappen was up to a remarkable sixth place and right behind the Racing Bulls of Liam Lawson, with Hadjar ahead chasing Russell, who by then was up to third after starting seventh.

But Russell dashed his own hopes when he stopped on lap 16, at the same time as Norris, and spun in the pit lane exit which mirrors on the inside of the track the run through the Senna S first two corners.

Russell was broadside in the pit lane as rivals squeezed past him left and right as he manoeuvred his way straight again and rejoined the race, now down in 10th place.

After that, he drove well with strong pace to put himself back in contention and a fourth place was a strong result in the circumstances.

He had more pace than Antonelli in the closing laps and the team ordered them to swap positions as they sealed their ninth constructors’ title, and first since 2021.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was sixth, nowhere near Norris’ pace, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took seventh after a topsy-turvy race ahead of Lawson and Hamilton.

Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg took the final point for 10th place.