Mercedes secures its ninth Formula 1 constructors’ title after George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finish fourth and fifth in São Paulo, completing a championship double as Lando Norris wins a rain-hit race.
Mercedes has won the 2026 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship, ending a five-year wait for another team title after the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, November 8. The German manufacturer’s victory was confirmed at Interlagos in São Paulo, where George Russell finished fourth and Kimi Antonelli took fifth in a rain-affected race won by McLaren’s Lando Norris.
The championship is Mercedes’ ninth in Formula 1 and its first since 2021. It also completes a double championship season for the team, following Antonelli’s victory in the Drivers’ Championship at the Mexican Grand Prix one week earlier.
Mercedes secured the title with three races remaining, establishing an advantage that Ferrari can no longer overcome. The achievement returns the team to the top of the constructors’ standings after several seasons of competition against Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren.
Mercedes Celebrates Ninth Constructors’ Championship
The victory marks a significant achievement for Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who has guided the organization since 2013. Under his leadership, Mercedes previously won eight consecutive constructors’ championships between 2014 and 2021, establishing one of the longest periods of dominance in Formula 1 history.
With nine championships, Mercedes has now matched Williams’ total of nine constructors’ titles. Ferrari remains the most successful constructor in the championship’s history, with 16 titles.
Mercedes entered the Brazilian Grand Prix needing to maintain its advantage over Ferrari to secure the championship. The team had built a commanding lead through a strong season that featured 12 Grand Prix victories across the first 20 races.
Russell and Antonelli contributed throughout the season, giving Mercedes a combination of experience and emerging talent. Antonelli’s earlier Drivers’ Championship victory had already established him as one of the leading figures of the 2026 season.
The championship also recognizes the collective performance of Mercedes’ engineering and racing operations. The team’s facilities in Brackley and Brixworth, England, have played central roles in developing the chassis, power unit, and technical systems used throughout the year.
Mercedes’ success represents a return to the front after its dominant run ended in 2021. The team had faced challenges adjusting to previous technical regulations and competing against rivals that had made substantial advances.
Lando Norris Wins Rain-Soaked Brazilian Grand Prix
Although Mercedes claimed the championship, the race victory belonged to Lando Norris, who drove his McLaren to first place in difficult weather conditions. Norris completed the 71-lap Grand Prix in 1 hour, 35 minutes, and 23.504 seconds, finishing 14.602 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen.
The victory was Norris’ third of the 2026 season and his second consecutive win at Interlagos. He started from pole position but faced changing track conditions as rain, drying asphalt, and another late shower complicated tyre choices.
The race began with drivers using intermediate tyres because of the wet track. As conditions improved, teams switched to slick tyres, forcing drivers to adapt their strategies before rain returned during the closing stages.
Norris briefly lost positions at the start, while Mercedes driver Antonelli moved into contention for the lead. However, Antonelli spun after changing tyres, allowing Norris to regain control of the race.
The McLaren driver maintained his advantage through the remaining pit stops and changing weather. Despite the difficult conditions, he completed the race without surrendering the lead in the closing laps.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen delivered one of the afternoon’s strongest recovery drives, climbing from 21st on the starting grid to finish second. His teammate Isack Hadjar completed the podium in third, giving Red Bull two of the top three positions.
Oscar Piastri finished sixth for McLaren, while Ferrari endured another difficult race. Charles Leclerc was classified eighth following a time penalty, and Lewis Hamilton finished ninth in his 400th Formula 1 start.
Russell and Antonelli Secure the Points Mercedes Needed
For Mercedes, the Brazilian Grand Prix was not a straightforward race despite its championship advantage. Both drivers encountered problems as the conditions changed, preventing the team from challenging Norris for the victory.
Antonelli briefly led during the early stages but lost ground after spinning as the track conditions shifted. He later received a five-second penalty for an unsafe release involving Alpine driver Franco Colapinto during a pit stop.
The penalty did not cost Antonelli his fifth-place finish. He collected 10 points, while Russell earned 12 points for fourth place, giving Mercedes 22 points from the race.
Those results lifted Mercedes to 652 points in the constructors’ standings. Ferrari remained its nearest challenger, but the gap was too large to close with only three races remaining.
Formula 1’s championship regulations reward both drivers’ finishing positions, making consistency across an entire season essential. Mercedes had already built a substantial advantage through victories, podium finishes, and regular points-scoring performances.
The Brazilian result was enough to confirm the championship mathematically, regardless of the outcomes in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. Mercedes can now approach the final three races knowing both major world championships have been secured.
Mercedes Completes Championship Double
The 2026 season has delivered a major turnaround for Mercedes following the end of its previous championship-winning era. The team had struggled to reproduce its earlier dominance during the ground-effect regulation period, while Red Bull and McLaren became increasingly competitive.
A new generation of Formula 1 technical regulations took effect in 2026, introducing major changes to cars and power units. Mercedes responded strongly, establishing itself as the leading team over the opening rounds and maintaining its advantage throughout the championship.
Antonelli’s Drivers’ Championship victory at Mexico City completed the first part of the team’s title ambitions. The Italian driver secured the crown before the Brazilian Grand Prix, leaving Mercedes focused on confirming its constructors’ victory.
The result represents Mercedes’ first season winning both major Formula 1 championships since 2020. Although it continued winning constructors’ titles in 2021, the Drivers’ Championship that year went to Verstappen.
The renewed success also strengthens Wolff’s record as one of Formula 1’s most successful team leaders. His tenure has included championship-winning seasons with Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, and now Antonelli.
Winning both championships under the latest technical regulations offers Mercedes an important foundation for its future development. The team will still face competition from Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren as those organizations work to improve their performance.
Formula 1 Heads to Las Vegas
With the constructors’ championship settled, attention shifts to the remaining positions in the drivers’ and teams’ standings. Verstappen’s second-place finish in Brazil increased his advantage over Russell in the battle for second place in the Drivers’ Championship.
The fight among Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren also remains important. Each team has opportunities to collect additional points during the final three races, with constructors’ finishing positions affecting championship prize distributions.
Formula 1’s next event is the Las Vegas Grand Prix, scheduled for November 19–21. The season will then continue in Qatar before ending at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Mercedes enters those final rounds having secured its ninth constructors’ title and completed a championship double. The team finished its Brazilian weekend without a race podium, but Russell’s fourth place and Antonelli’s fifth were enough to bring both world championships back to Brackley.
IMAGE: Source Self-photographed Author Steffen Prößdorf CC4