From pole to victory: Norris triumphs in São Paulo on Intermediates

Having secured pole position on Saturday, Lando Norris followed it up with victory in the Grand Prix on Sunday. Norris won the São Paulo Grand Prix in particularly challenging weather conditions, with rain present at the start and returning during the closing stages of the race. During the event, all drivers used both Intermediate and Soft tyres.

Temperatures remained low throughout the day, with the track reaching just 16 °C at the start. All drivers elected to begin the race on Intermediates, as the circuit was wet and light rain continued to fall during the opening laps. After 14 laps, the first drivers began to pit to switch to Soft tyres.

Norris came into the pits on lap 16 and then completed a 33-lap stint on the Soft. He later made a further stop for a new set of the same compound, which he used for only 13 laps. The 2025 World Champion was then forced to return to the pit lane for another set of Intermediates after rain began to fall again over Interlagos.

Second-placed Max Verstappen and third-placed Isack Hadjar adopted a similar strategy, using one set of Intermediates, two sets of Softs and then another new set of Intermediates. This approach enabled them to join Norris on the podium.

The two Mercedes drivers, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, finished fourth and fifth respectively. Their results secured the points needed for the German team to clinch the Constructors’ World Championship title. Russell and Charles Leclerc also completed the highest number of laps on a single set of Soft tyres, with both the Briton and the Monegasque managing 45 laps on the same set.

The pair opted for a different strategy compared to the top three finishers, stopping on lap 16 to switch from Intermediates to Softs. After completing 45 laps on that set, they fitted a second set of Soft tyres for the final ten laps of the race.

Today, all Pirelli personnel present at Interlagos wore a special uniform to celebrate the company’s history in Formula 1 and its long and significant association with the championship. Pirelli is the tyre supplier with the greatest number of Grand Prix appearances and, this year, reached the record for the highest number of pole positions achieved on its tyres. After last weekend’s Grand Prix, it also added another chapter to that story by becoming the tyre supplier with the most victories in Formula 1 history. The uniform was inspired by the first shirt worn by Pirelli personnel when the company returned to the championship in 2011.

DARIO MARRAFUSCHI – PIRELLI MOTORSPORT DIRECTOR

“Variable weather conditions had a decisive impact on race strategy. Rain before the start left the track with markedly different levels of grip around the lap, making the Intermediate tyre the only viable choice for the opening stint. In these transitional conditions, as the circuit moved from wet to dry, the Intermediate delivered consistent performance and, as the track continued to evolve, tyre lap times progressively closed in on the crossover point for the slicks. We observed predominantly thermal degradation, accompanied by episodes of graining caused by the drying surface, particularly on the right-hand side of the car.

Once conditions allowed the switch to dry-weather tyres, the Soft confirmed itself as the preferred choice for every team. The relatively low air and track temperatures helped keep degradation under control, to the extent that wear became the main factor to manage in many cases. Some teams were evaluating the possibility of reaching the finish without making any further stops, but the return of rain in the closing stages once again reshuffled the strategic picture. Overall, both the Intermediate and the Soft performed in line with expectations, offering teams several strategic options in a race defined by uncertainty over the conditions.

Congratulations to Mercedes on securing the ninth Constructors’ Championship in its history. It is an achievement that reflects the team’s technical excellence and the quality of work carried out throughout the season, further enhanced by the Drivers’ World Championship title secured by Kimi Antonelli last weekend.”