From Ars Technica · · 3m
Norris wins Brazil as rain reshuffles the grid
McLaren's Lando Norris claimed victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix despite a chaotic wet qualifying and a mixed-up starting order that saw multiple world champions start near the back.
In brief
McLaren's Lando Norris claimed victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix despite a chaotic wet qualifying and a mixed-up starting order that saw multiple world champions start near the back. Lando Norris won the Brazilian Grand Prix by managing his tires through changing conditions, while grid penalties and wet weather…
A dead rubber that wasn't
The Brazilian Grand Prix took place after the championship was decided, but rain, a mixed starting order, and fast drivers at the back made it one of the year's most entertaining races.
Norris won the title but not the car
Lando Norris won the 2025 championship after a fight with teammate Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen, but McLaren's car remained tricky to drive even with upgrades this season.
Rain scrambled the grid
Heavy rain during Saturday qualifying forced drivers to use wet weather tires with deep treads. Fewer cars in later sessions meant visibility was not a problem, jumbling the usual running order.
Penalties added to the chaos
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both received grid penalties for using extra power unit components outside the season's allowance, further disrupting the starting order.
An unusual front row
Norris claimed pole with Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes alongside. Row two held Liam Lawson's Racing Bull and Nico Hulkenberg's Audi, with Isack Hadjar's Red Bull and Oliver Bearman's Haas following.
Norris fought back from turn one
Antonelli made a better start and passed Norris into turn one, with Lawson following into second. But Norris kept his head down and by lap six had passed the Racing Bull.
Tire management was everything
Keeping tires in the right operating window was vitally important. Norris made well-timed pit stops and switched to the right tires at the right time, making none of his rivals' mistakes.
“Keeping one's tires in the right operating window was vitally important in Brazil”
Mercedes struggled in the wet
The Mercedes duo struggled to generate sufficient tire temperatures and their cars looked difficult to handle. Russell spun after his first pit stop and Antonelli spun twice, including from the lead.
Hamilton charged from twentieth
Starting twentieth out of twenty-two cars, Lewis Hamilton was in ninth by the end of lap one. But his charge was blunted when his intermediate tires wore out as the track dried.
Verstappen made up ground steadily
Max Verstappen started twenty-first and was in ninth by lap four. By lap twenty-four he was in second, taking advantage of Antonelli's second spin and eventually finishing fourteen seconds behind Norris.
Norris takes the win
Lando Norris won the Brazilian Grand Prix, managing his tires through rain and dry conditions. He shattered his champagne bottle on the podium but secured the victory.
The key point
Lando Norris won the Brazilian Grand Prix by managing his tires through changing conditions, while grid penalties and wet weather created an unusually mixed starting order.
