Sao Paulo GP 2026: Norris win puts focus on McLaren upgrade

Lando Norris won the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, and reports from Autosport and Motorsport.com said McLaren’s new package improved the car’s predictability.

Lando Norris won the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen, as reported by Formula1.com, BBC Sport, Autosport, Motorsport.com and RaceFans. The win was Norris’s third of the season, according to Autosport and Motorsport.com, and he arrived at the weekend sixth in the drivers' championship on 246 points, with Verstappen second on 279 and Andrea Kimi Antonelli leading on 390. Several outlets also reported that Mercedes secured the 2026 constructors' championship in Brazil.

Attention also fell on McLaren’s latest update package. Autosport reported before the weekend that the team brought new parts to Brazil, including a front wing concept expected to influence its 2027 car, while Motorsport.com later reported that team principal Andrea Stella said the package made the MCL40 more predictable and easier to drive. Norris, who has 11 career wins and 16 poles, also took pole position for the race, with Autosport and Motorsport.com reporting that George Russell was second in the wet qualifying session.