WHAT THE TEAMS SAID – RACE DAY IN BRAZIL

Norris turned a terrible start into a commanding win at Interlagos, sealing McLaren's second straight victory. He wheelspin off the line and dropped to third, but McLaren's pit wall threaded the needle on tire strategy through tricky wet-dry transitions. When Antonelli spun out of the lead, Norris inherited P1 and never looked back, managing slicks on a damp track without error.

Verstappen's recovery from P21 to second was vintage Brazil magic—unstoppable on inters, though he faded once the track dried and couldn't close on Norris. Piastri struggled to sixth, off his teammate's pace all day. The new McLaren front wing worked as advertised, but Norris admitted they're still a tenth or two shy in raw speed. Hadjar rounded out the podium as Red Bull scored a double.

Mercedes clinched the Constructors' title. Three races left, and McLaren's upgrade timing suggests a late-season surge aimed squarely at 2027 momentum.