F1 Sao Paulo GP: Best Driver Quotes After the Race

An eventful race in wet conditions saw McLaren's Lando Norris win the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, taking his third victory of the season. It was some sort of redemption for the British driver, who officially failed in his title defense after Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli clinched this year's Drivers' Championship in Mexico City.

After the race, Norris, along with his fellow drivers, shared their thoughts about another rain-filled Sunday in Interlagos.

McLaren were the only team that brought upgrades to Brazil, and it proved to be the right call. Norris qualified for pole, got overtaken at the start by Antonelli, but reclaimed the lead and won the race. 

Prior to the weekend, the team said that they're testing new concepts (such as a new front wing) in preparation for the 2027 season. But with Norris winning in Interlagos, there might still be a chance for McLaren to fight Red Bull for third place in this year's Constructors' Championship.

Norris: "The new front wing and upgrade package we introduced this weekend performed exactly as expected, and without them, we would have been further off the frontrunners' pace."

2026 Interlagos was not a weekend to remember for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing eighth and ninth. Leclerc's first stint in the intermediate tyres wasn't great, as he found himself stuck outside the Top 10. 

Fortunately for Leclerc, he and the team properly timed their two stops, helping him get within the Top 10. Still, it was a horrible weekend for Leclerc and Hamilton, especially considering the excellent pace they had in Austin and Mexico. 

Leclerc: “At the end of the race, having been patient and made the right choice by staying out on just one set of Softs before switching to the intermediate, we finished in seventh to bring a few points home, but that’s not our target.”

Mercedes clinched the Constructors' Championship in Sao Paulo, but it was yet another disappointing race for Russell. He could've fought Norris for the win late in the race, but he unfortunately spun at the pit lane exit, stripping him of the opportunity to at least even battle for a podium place.

The fourth-place finish at least allowed Russell to overtake Hamilton for third place in the Drivers' Standings, but that pit lane incident adds another chapter to the Briton's book of disappointments this season.

Russell: “It was a pretty eventful race today. We had really strong pace at times, particularly on the soft tyre, and that was a big positive for me. I made a mistake at the pit exit when I was perhaps taking too much risk."

Lawson still doesn't have a confirmed seat for 2027, but he's making a solid case for getting one. After qualifying fifth on Saturday, Lawson kept his composure throughout the race, even during that late wheel-to-wheel battle with Leclerc. 

The Kiwi driver crossed the line in eighth, but a post-race penalty for Leclerc bumped him up to seventh. 

Lawson: "Today was a really good day for us. We had a strong race and made the most of everything we had available. I had great grip on the opening lap and was able to fight with the top teams, but over a long stint, we don’t quite have the pace to match them, so I focused on not losing too much time."

Despite finishing outside the points, it was still a pleasure to watch Alonso and the Aston Martin battling with some of the frontrunners and midfield cars. The Spaniard started the race in eighth, but as expected, the AMR26 just didn't have the pace to sustain that position.

Still, the two-time World Champion had tons of positive things to say about the work that the team put in to improve his car.

Alonso: “The car felt strong today, particularly in the corners, and we were having some good fights out on track. I think it was one of our most competitive races, but we were struggling for performance on the straights."

Camara couldn't have asked for a more difficult race to make his Formula 1 debut. He crossed the finish line, but the wet conditions made it more challenging for him, as he's still on his first full weekend of driving the new generation of F1 cars.

In the end, the Brazilian got his car to the checkered flag, giving his home fans something to cheer about.

Camara: “On one side, I was trying to enjoy my first race in Formula 1, at home, so it was nice. But I think on my side, I wasn’t fully satisfied with how we finished today. It was a weekend where I think I must’ve nearly experienced everything, so I’ve learned a lot for the future."

Huge congratulations to the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team! After losing hold of the Constructors' Championship and falling behind Red Bull and McLaren in the last five years, they have nailed the setup for the new generation Formula 1 cars.

If Mercedes remains the favorite for next season, we're hoping we can get a proper intra-team championship battle between Antonelli and Russell in 2027.