What the teams said – Race day in Brazil

McLaren

Norris sealed his third win of the season and second in a row at Interlagos with a strong drive in tricky conditions. He was overtaken off the line and dropped to third, but once his tyres were up to temperature he started to motor forward. He was lucky to pick up the lead easily when Antonelli spun off, but from there did not put a foot wrong on a day where mistakes were easy to make. McLaren picked the right moments to pit him, and in the end Norris was just too strong and won by a comfortable margin.

Piastri finished down in sixth, as he struggled to match his team mate for pace. He did have some battles but could not keep the recovering Verstappen at bay, although he did get the better of Lawson.

Lando Norris, 1st

"This was certainly up there with one of our best-ever performances in terms of operational execution, strategy, and pit stop timing. The conditions out there in Brazil were exceptionally tricky, transitioning from Intermediates to slicks on a damp track and back again. We had a difficult launch off the line with wheelspin and lost ground early on, but I stayed patient knowing the weather and potential Safety Cars would bring opportunities back to us. Through flawless communication from the pit wall and keeping the car completely error-free on slicks in the wet, we managed to close down an eight-second deficit, apply pressure on the leaders, and capitalise to take the win.

"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. However, we have to stay realistic, we were still a tenth or two adrift in outright performance during practice, and we know we are not yet at the level required to contend for a World Championship consistently. I am immensely proud of the entire team and everyone trackside and back at the factory for their relentless work, and we are fully aware that we still have a lot of work ahead of us to extract the ultimate performance from this car.

"Finally, congratulations to Mercedes on their Constructors' Championship, it's a very special achievement and they've done a fantastic job this year in both Championships. I hope they celebrate well and enjoy this moment. We'll be working hard to give them a bit more of a challenge next year."

Oscar Piastri, 6th

"A good result in the end today after a challenging weekend with tricky conditions, especially at the beginning when the conditions were slippery and it took me a while to get into a rhythm. Once I did, the pace was strong, particularly on the Soft tyres, and that’s a real positive. I’m pleased with how competitive we were at points, although sixth feels a little lower than the performance deserved.

"The car felt like it took a step forward this weekend, but we still need to make it quicker and easier to drive and close the gap to Red Bull and Mercedes. Congratulations to Mercedes for their Constructors’ Championship win, I'm looking forward to battling them at the front next season. Now our focus turns to the final three races, we’ll return to the factory to keep working hard and try to carry this progress into the remaining races of the season."

Andrea Stella, Team Principal

"It’s fantastic to be back on the highest step of the podium! This success is truly the result of a team effort. Lando drove exceptionally well in very difficult conditions, proving to be the fastest on both slick tyres and the Intermediates; he didn’t make even the slightest mistake, apart from the incident on the podium!

"Oscar was also very quick: perhaps he spent too long in traffic, but his pace on the dry tyres was encouraging. We should be proud of the work done by the whole team. The upgrades, the car set-up, the strategy, the instructions from the pit wall, and a series of excellent pit stops all contributed to the result.

"The upgrades we’ve brought here are giving us positive signs for the end of the season and have also helped us understand certain concepts ahead of next year. At the same time, we must keep this victory in the right perspective. The low temperatures worked in our favour, whilst Mercedes appeared stronger in higher temperatures. Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari will continue to be fierce rivals, so we know there’s still a lot of work to be done.

"Congratulations to Mercedes on the Constructors’ Championship and also to our partners at HPP, who have secured the world title for their power unit for the third year running.

"Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to a great Formula 1 driver, Alan Jones, who passed away a few days ago."

Red Bull

Verstappen’s recovery was never in doubt, such is his record here. The only question was would it be a podium, or the win for the Dutchman. On the inters he was unstoppable, climbing all the way up to fifth from P21 on the grid, but on the softs he lost some pace – while Hadjar had climbed past Antonelli and was running second. Eventually the Dutchman caught his team mate and Red Bull swapped them, but from there Verstappen could not close down Norris for the win.

A double podium was a strong result for the team, with Hadjar having a good scrap with Antonelli before the rain fell a second time. The Frenchman seemed happier in the car at least, after a tricky last couple of races.

Max Verstappen, 2nd

“Starting P21 and making our way up to P2 was a crazy result! We had a lot of fun in the first stint, with great pace and quite a few overtakes, so I was really happy with that. When we switched to slicks, we struggled with a lot of oversteer, which made the car difficult to drive, so I felt there was potentially more in it. Once we switched back to the intermediates, things improved again. 

"To finish second here is fantastic. Hopefully next year we can start a bit further up the grid, but racing in the wet always gives you more opportunities, and that certainly helped us today. We scored some important points for the Team in the Constructors’ Championship, so we need to keep pushing, learn from this weekend and carry that momentum into the remaining races”. 

Isack Hadjar, 3rd

“It was such a demanding race, with incredibly challenging conditions, but I really enjoyed it. I’ve never faced so many challenges in a single race, but we handled them really well as a Team and I’m very happy we came away with a double podium. A big thank you to the pit crew, who did an amazing job today and helped us stay in the fight. 

"I struggled a little during the middle of the stint on intermediates, but things started to improve and we were very competitive on the softs, even with the rain returning towards the end. I really enjoyed the battle with Kimi in the final laps. It was great racing him and even better to finish on the podium alongside two fantastic drivers. 

"It’s a really rewarding result for the whole Team. We’re moving in the right direction with the car, and this gives us a lot of confidence heading into the remaining races". 

Laurent Mekies, Team Principal

“What a fantastic result for the whole Team here in São Paulo. Max delivered another masterclass drive, fighting his way from P21 to P2 in a way only him can do. That’s now three consecutive podiums here in Brazil from P17 or lower. You could almost say we’re getting used to it, but it never stops being outstanding to watch the way he races here, particularly in such challenging conditions.  

"It’s also been a fantastic weekend for Isack. He continued to build his confidence and performance throughout the weekend and delivered a fantastic race today, securing his third podium of the season in an example of clever racing. To have both drivers on the podium is a tremendous reward and true team effort from the whole group. The conditions were incredibly difficult to judge, and the drivers and team executed to perfection, from strategy to pit-stops.  

"It wasn’t all straightforward, though. We were very competitive on the intermediates, but from when we switched Max to the dry tyres, we experienced a significant change in balance that made things more difficult. We will need to understand that and keep pushing, because Lando ultimately had a little more pace than us today. Overall, this double podium is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the hard work, commitment and determination that define this Team.” 

Mercedes

Antonelli stormed into the lead off the line and started to disappear up the road, and with Russell making up places from his P7 start, it looked like being a strong race for Mercedes. But it all unravelled midway through, after both pitted for softs. Russell spun in the pit lane exit, losing a huge chunk of time that dropped him back to 10th. Antonelli was complaining about an issue with his car, spinning off at Turn 1 to lose the lead and running wide to lose P2 as well. He continued to drop back and was running a distant fourth when the late rain came.

Russell pitted for inters first and his were up to temperature before Antonelli’s so the team swapped the duo, but Russell then experienced similar issues with his car to his team mate, and thus could not chase up to Hadjar in third. Nonetheless, fourth and fifth was more than enough to seal a ninth Teams’ Championship for Mercedes.

Antonelli was handed a five-second time penalty post-race for an unsafe release in the pit lane, but fortunately for the Italian that did not change his finishing slot.

Kimi Antonelli, 5th

"I'm disappointed with my race today because I really felt the win was there. We had a very strong start and the pace on the Intermediates was really good. Once we switched to the Soft tyre, I was getting into a good rhythm, but I started to feel something strange with the rear of the car. It was very unstable, particularly in some of the high-speed corners, and I then had the spin. That flat-spotted the tyres and compromised the rest of the race. When we put a new set on later, the pace was strong again, so it's frustrating and we need to understand exactly what happened.

"We can put that disappointment aside though because today is a great day for the team. Everyone deserves this Constructors' Championship. It's not only the boys and girls here at the track, but everyone back at Brackley and Brixworth, the support of Mercedes-Benz, PETRONAS and all our partners. They have worked incredibly hard to give us this car and the opportunity to fight for both championships. They helped me achieve my dream last weekend and I'm incredibly happy that today we could achieve this together. I'm very grateful to be part of this team. We'll enjoy this moment, but we want to keep winning, so we'll keep pushing and try to finish the season on a high."

George Russell, 4th

"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; I saw an opportunity to fight for the win and wanted to go for it. Ultimately, I don't think it changed our finishing position too much. We struggled more on the Intermediate towards the end, so there are definitely things for us to understand, but overall, I'm leaving this weekend encouraged by my performance. I've been working hard to get back to that level consistently and I've felt much more like myself here.

"Most importantly, we achieved what we came here to do and won the Constructors' Championship. We would have liked to have done it in a bit more style today, but it's an incredible achievement for everyone in the team. We've had four difficult years and the whole organisation put so much work into getting us back into this position. When I joined Mercedes in 2022, we hoped we'd be fighting for championships regularly, so to have gone through that journey and now get back to the top is something we should all be incredibly proud of.

"Winning the Constructors' World Championship is always the ultimate reflection of a team effort. This sport isn't just about the two drivers who are in the car every weekend; it's about the thousands of decisions made back at the factories and the determination of every person who contributes to the performance of the team."

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

"Winning the world championship is a proud moment for every member of our team. F1 is a people business. The trophies may be handed over at the track, but success starts in our factories, in our meeting rooms, on the simulator, in the machine shops, and with every individual who contributes to our performance.

"What makes me happiest today is seeing the reward for that effort. The men and women in Brackley and Brixworth have shown once again what can be achieved when talented people work together with humility, determination and a shared purpose. They have fought for every point, every improvement and every opportunity throughout the season.

"This achievement has also been made possible by the strength of the partnerships that surround our team. PETRONAS has stood alongside us for more than a decade and continues to be an integral part of our performance. Their expertise, innovation and collaborative approach help drive us forward every day, whether through the development of our race fuels and lubricants or their work on advanced sustainable fuel technologies that will help shape the future of motorsport and mobility. We are equally grateful to Mercedes-AMG and the wider Mercedes-Benz organisation for their unwavering support and belief in what we do, and to INEOS for their commitment to our team and our long-term ambitions. Alongside them, our global partner family provides expertise, technology and support that helps us operate at the level required to compete for world championships.

"We will enjoy this achievement because everyone has earned that right. Then, very quickly, our focus will turn to the next challenge. That is the mentality that has shaped this team and will continue to drive us forward. That is more important than ever as today wasn't an easy afternoon for us. We had the pace to win today but suffered during both transition points. We would obviously have liked to finish the job in a more convincing way, but ultimately, we scored the points we needed. These last few races have been challenging at times and today was another difficult one, so there is plenty for us to understand and improve.

"That doesn't take anything away from what this team has achieved across the season though. We started the year incredibly strongly and that gave us the foundation that ultimately got us over the line today. I'm incredibly proud of everyone in this organisation. It has taken us several years to get back to the top, and that has required an enormous amount of determination and hard work from everyone at Brackley and Brixworth. Not many teams have been able to come back from a period like that and win again. This championship belongs to every single person in this team."

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

"It was a difficult and eventful race today, and ultimately, we didn't maximise the opportunities we had. Kimi looked in a strong position early on and had good pace on both the Intermediate and Soft tyres, but the spin compromised his afternoon, and we need to understand the unusual balance he reported after switching to slicks. George also showed strong pace at different stages of the race, particularly on the Soft, but also reported similar balance concerns that cost him too. P4 and P5 therefore isn't quite the way we would have wanted to secure the championship, but we did what we needed to do and there were encouraging signs in the underlying performance.

"Winning the Constructors' Championship is the culmination of thousands of hours of work from people right across the organisation. Whilst the results are visible at the racetrack, so much of the performance comes from the effort, expertise and dedication of the teams back in Brackley and Brixworth.

"This season has demanded a huge amount from everyone. We've had to evolve the car, solve problems, respond to our competitors and maximise every opportunity available to us. The way the entire organisation has worked together through those challenges has been hugely impressive.

"As engineers, you're always focused on what can be improved and what comes next, but moments like this are important. Everyone involved in this team should feel an enormous sense of pride in what they have achieved. Winning a Constructors' Championship is one of the hardest things to do in sport, and it is a reward that every member of this team deserves."

Ferrari

Hamilton started from the back and initially made excellent progress, climbing quickly into the top 10 as his team mate struggled and stayed down in P14. But then Hamilton’s rear tyres went off, and he fell back down the order. He was swiftly on the radio calling for slicks, and was the first to swap to the softs. But while that was the right call, later when the rain fell, he was the last to come in for inters and that was the wrong call.

His late stop came after a spin in the slippery conditions, and he did well to recover to the top 10. Leclerc had climbed up the order via a one-stop strategy, and after stopping for inters on the right lap was able to jump his team mate. He had a late fight with Lawson, banging wheels as he passed the Kiwi racer to take P7. But he was handed a post-race time penalty for the incident, which dropped him back to eighth.

Lewis Hamilton, 9th

"We had a strong start and the team did a great job but overall it wasn’t the race I’d hoped for. The first stint was challenging, as we struggled with the rear and found it difficult to get the tyres into the right temperature window. We tried to recover from there and towards the end I felt I could keep pushing but, unfortunately, the rain intensified and I lost some ground as a result. We’ll keep working as a team and do everything we can to deliver a strong result in the next few races."

Charles Leclerc, 8th

"Our execution was good today, we just didn’t have the pace in these conditions. At the start, it was not possible for me to get the tyres to the right temperature and I had no grip on the first stint. Later on, I had the pace, but little free air. 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. There’s a lot for us to learn from this weekend, and we will give it our all for the final three races of the season."

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

"First of all, congratulations to Mercedes on winning the Constructors’ Championship. They have done a very strong job this season and deserve this success. As for our race we knew it would be a tricky one due to the starting positions and the cold conditions. Lewis had a fantastic start and made up a lot of places, but as the stint progressed his performance dropped off, as was also the case for Charles. Overall, throughout the race we struggled to get the tyres into the right window, which made the car difficult to drive and resulted in inconsistent pace for both drivers. We were lacking performance and we need to understand how we can improve in conditions like these, especially as the next race in Las Vegas could also present us with very low temperatures."

Racing Bulls

Lawson had a great getaway and overtook Norris for P2, running there on merit in the early stages. But once the top teams got their tyres working and started to recover, he gradually fell back down the order. He found himself seventh in the closing stages, and did everything he could to keep Leclerc behind. Those two went wheel-to-wheel and even made contact, with the stewards having a look post-race. They opted to penalise the Ferrari man, which lifted Lawson back to seventh place.

As for Lindblad, He did well to fight back to the top 10 via some highly entertaining battles with the likes of Gasly, Hulkenberg and Alonso. He looked on for an unlikely point from his P18 starting slot, but could not keep the Audi at bay once the rain fell.

Liam Lawson, 7th

"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. We’ve had a really decent tripleheader with plenty of positives to take away, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed it. I’ll take a few days to relax and recharge before the final few races of the season. I’m already looking forward to heading back to Las Vegas."

Arvid Lindblad, 11th

"It was an enjoyable race and I had a lot of fun out there coming through from the back. It's disappointing to not come away with any points, especially after showing good pace and genuinely feeling we were in contention for a points finish for most of the race. Unfortunately, things became more difficult over the final 20 laps. I lost quite a bit of time battling Franco and struggled with drivability issues in the wet conditions towards the end of the race. This made it particularly hard to fight Nico as I was trying to keep the car on track. We'll review everything with the team to understand what we could've done better. It's not the way I wanted to end this triple header, as I feel I've made some positive steps forward in terms of driving, but things haven't always gone our way. We'll take the learnings from this weekend, shift our focus and look ahead to the next race in Las Vegas."

Alan Permane, Team Principal

"It's been another strong weekend from the team. It was an exciting first lap from Liam, jumping from third to second and keeping that position for some time. That being said, we have to be realistic that it would've always been a big ask to beat any of the top teams. As such, our focus was on making the correct strategy decisions when it mattered, which we did, meaning Liam finished in P8. Arvid also had a very strong race from the back of the grid to P11. His race pace was very strong, so there are lots of positives to take forward. It's great to be rounding off this challenging triple header with more points as we fight for P5 in the Constructors' Championship. We look forward to a break next weekend before we head to Las Vegas."

Audi

Bortoleto did not have a home race to remember, although at least this year he saw the chequered flag. Starting towards the back after fitting some new engine components, he just did not make any progress in the opening stages and thus was never really a factor out there. Hulkenberg started fourth, but did not get off the line well and immediately dropped places. He picked up a 10-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage when fighting Colapinto, which looked set to leave him without points. But the late rain was a boon to the German, who goes so well in those conditions and found plenty of grip on the inters to overtake Lindblad and score one vital point.

Nico Hulkenberg, 10th

“It's good to come away from such a tricky race with a point. It was an eventful one, as it always is here in São Paulo. There were plenty of curveballs and opportunities for mistakes, but we managed to navigate them well and it was ultimately a fun race. I made a nice move on Lindblad right at the end, managed to set him up on the entry to get a better exit, and used the undercut to gain the position, which felt great, especially after the penalty had put us behind him. To fight back and recover that position, is a satisfying result. Looking at our pace, that's probably the maximum we could achieve today."

Gabriel Bortoleto, 16th

“Obviously, starting from the back didn't make things easy for me, especially in the wet, where overtaking was challenging with the power limitations. I spent quite a bit of time stuck behind other cars, but whenever I had some free air, our pace was quite positive, as it had been all weekend long - it is a shame we could not get more out of it. While my home race was not quite what I had hoped for, the support from the fans was incredible throughout the weekend, and I really appreciate it. Now, a week to recharge and we move on to the next one, still in the fight.”

Allan McNish, Racing Director

“It was a tough race for everybody, with conditions clearly not easy, particularly at the start on the intermediate tyres. Then came the question of when to switch to slicks, before another rain shower towards the end brought the track back towards intermediate conditions.

“From our perspective, Nico fought very well in the wet. We lacked a little bit of pace in the dry, but when the rain returned towards the end, he was able to fight back and reclaim P10, despite having to serve a ten-second penalty for overtaking Colapinto off the track after being pushed wide. The decision is the decision, and ultimately we came away with another point on the board.

“I have to say Nico drove a very strong race, and it was a real demonstration of the fighting spirit across the whole team. We also had a fantastic pit stop, which got him back out close enough to Lindblad to fight for that final points position. That work behind the scenes can sometimes go unnoticed, but it was crucial in giving Nico the opportunity to fight, and he made the most of it.

“For Gabi, starting from the back was always going to be extremely difficult, but he fought his way through to P16. We now reset, regroup and look ahead to Las Vegas in two weeks’ time.”

Aston Martin

Stroll was the only car to retire from the race in Sao Paulo, with the team saying a battery issue prevented the Canadian from continuing. Alonso had a strong race though, a tasty battle with Albon the highlight. After their scrap in Austin, this time around they mostly gave each other space, with Alonso coming through when the Williams man skated wide. But with so few retirements, Alonso wound up just short of scoring at Interlagos and had to carry some damage too, after tagging Bearman at one point.

Fernando Alonso, 12th

“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. We made a strong start in the wet conditions, but then I couldn’t avoid contact with Ollie [Bearman] who lost some control of his car in Turn 3. There are positives to take from this weekend, and we need to keep working hard to close the gap for next year.”

Lance Stroll, DNF

“We had to retire the car on Lap 38 due to a battery issue. It’s been another challenging weekend at the end of a long triple header, but we know the areas we need to work on for next year. We now focus on the final push of the season and will use the time before we head to Las Vegas to see where we can make improvements on our current performance.”

Mike Krack, Chief Trackside Officer

“Mixed fortunes for us today: a strong drive from Fernando to finish P12 and Lance unfortunately retiring with a battery issue. Overall we must be satisfied with the outcome of the weekend as we were ahead of competitors with faster cars in Qualifying and Race. We always look forward to racing here in São Paulo – an iconic track with a passionate crowd - so it was great to deliver a strong performance in front of the Brazilian fans.”

Alpine

Thanks to all the grid penalties, Alpine inherited better starting slots than they expected with their double Q1 exit yesterday. Colapinto was 13th and Gasly 15th, and from there the duo got stuck in, fighting their rivals all race long. Colapinto slid off at one point which didn’t help his chances, while Gasly was an interested spectator when Alonso and Albon were fighting. But in the end, the car remained too far off the pace on the intermediates for to fight for points.

Pierre Gasly, 14th

“It was a challenging afternoon for us and it's disappointing not to score points again, especially considering the unpredictable conditions, which I usually really like. We have a lot to review especially with our performance in the wet this weekend as the grip was very poor on both the Intermediates and the Extreme Wets. After yesterday's frustration in Qualifying, we saw some odd things in the aerodynamic data with the car in the wet which I know we are going to take time to review and further understand. I was pretty happy on the Softs in the race today and we were amongst some of the fastest cars on track during the dry part of the race. It's a pity that the last few weeks have not gone to plan but I am looking forward to returning home, having a few days to reset, before fully focusing on Las Vegas where we have been quick in the past.”

Franco Colapinto, 13th

“It has been a tricky race for us, especially with the weather conditions making things very challenging at the wheel. We started on Intermediate tyres and then it was about judging the crossover point to Soft tyres and that was not a straightforward call as the grip levels were quite low. I kept focusing to manage the race and the tyres but then, after struggling for performance, we had to pit again for Softs. The rain shortly came after that and we were back onto Intermediates. Our pace on the Intermediates was not great and that impacted us today and I know the team is looking into why we struggled so much both on Saturday and Sunday in the wet conditions. Still, it was a busy race, we had some good fights on track, which were fun. We will debrief as a team before heading to Las Vegas where hopefully the conditions will suit us better and we can be better placed to compete for points.”

Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor

“A disappointing end to a weekend where we have, in general, underperformed. It is clear we have work to do to understand how to maximise the car in the wet as it was a weakness for us this weekend. We were amongst the quickest on the Soft tyres in the phase of the race when everyone switched to dry tyres but that soon was no longer the case when the rain returned. There is lots for us to review as a team before we look ahead to the next race in Las Vegas. Finally congratulations to Toto [Wolff] and Mercedes on winning the Constructors' Championship after an impressive and dominant season.”

Williams

It was not to be for Albon, despite a strong Qualifying. He managed to hold onto his top 10 slot for a fair few laps, but then as the track dried, his lack of pace in the Williams was exposed. Nonetheless, the Thai driver had plenty of fun tussles with cars he doesn’t always get to fight with. Sainz made the right call early on, coming in first for the softs along with Hamilton. But that did not help him make up ground and in the end, he finished down the order.

Carlos Sainz, 19th

“Today was a difficult day. The first stint was tough on the inters and I experienced a lot of understeer and graining with the front tyres. By the time I switched to slicks, we had much better pace and were more competitive, but I gambled on staying out hoping for a Safety Car, so by that point it was too late to make a real difference, although the last stint on inters was much better than the first one.

"Tough weekend overall but we now have a week off to reset and recharge batteries ahead of Vegas, where we could potentially be closer to the field. Thanks to everyone for all the effort during this long triple header. We’ll keep pushing until the end of the season.”

Alex Albon, 15th

“We were hoping for more today, but unfortunately we needed the rain to be a bit more steady during the race to maximise our result. We had a good start, and I had some good battles throughout, with a lot of defending, but it was fun racing while it lasted. Ultimately, we didn’t have the pace to fight for points today, and I don't think there was anything we could have done differently. The team made the right calls and we executed a good race in tricky conditions. We'll debrief as a team and see what we can do to come back stronger in Las Vegas."

James Vowles, Team Principal

“Well done to the team; this weekend, qualifying and the race have been some of the trickiest conditions I can remember. Every time, the call from inters to dry to inters, we were on the right tyre at exactly the right lap with Alex. That’s no mean feat at a track where the conditions are changing by the second.

"Well done to Alex, he did a brilliant job from the start and delivered the best performance possible from the car today, but as you can see, it exposed where the car is and where it needs to be. With Carlos, we were a little bit offset and not quite where we needed to be, and we didn’t get the most out of it. But well done to both for persisting in difficult conditions.

"Congratulations to Mercedes on the Constructors’ Championship. Well earned, well deserved, and impressive from start to finish. An aspiration for all of us."

Haas

Bearman started in the top 10 and was running there in the first stint. He dropped back towards the lower reaches of the top 10 as others recovered, but still looking in the mix for points until the pit stop period, when he wound up way down the order after a very slow stop. Camara made it to the flag on debut, in what were more tricky conditions for the rookie to master. He slid off more than once though, but at least brought the car home mostly in one piece.

Oliver Bearman, 17th

“I had a bit of a moment at the start, but nothing major. I lost a few spots but I gained them back again, so it was net zero. After that, I had some very slow pit stops and couldn’t fight back from there. I want to go home now and reset. It’s been a disappointing three weeks where we’ve missed two opportunities to score points – we just need to move on and do better.”

Rafael Camara, 20th

“It definitely wasn’t an easy one, with all the conditions out there we experienced over the course of one race. In the beginning, it was about staying on track, and there were a couple of mistakes – it was a bit tricky. The positive is that there was no damage today and lots learned, but there’s still a lot more to learn for the future. I think there are a lot of things to go through with the team and put in place for next time. 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.”

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal

“It was a pretty tricky race. Ollie had a snap at Turn 3 on lap one, which meant his rear impact structure was a bit damaged, but we didn’t know that at the time – so it had a huge impact on the pit stop. It’s a shame because Ollie’s pace on the first stint – even though we were struggling a little bit to start off with – he came back strong, and was fighting for P10. That really long pit stop, with the car damage, really killed his race. On his last inters stint, we weren’t competitive, so there’s lots to look into.

"For Rafa’s first race in Formula 1, he obviously had very challenging conditions. He had very good pace, and he kept it clean. He made some mistakes, but overall, I think they were very challenging conditions to make your debut, so well done to him for completing this race without any big issues. We know he has performance, he has speed, it’s just about consistency and delivering it. There’s lots of learning today, but we’ve done as best as we could, and we’ll take that forward from here and use it in Las Vegas.”

Cadillac

Bottas failed to start the race after a stuck wheel nut was detected on his wheel on the grid. The team attacked it with a hammer, but to no avail as they wheeled his car back to the garage. Perez did take the start, and managed to beat both Sainz and Camara which was an encouraging result. He was attempting to make the one-stop strategy work until the late rain disrupted that plan.

Sergio Perez, 18th

“I think it was a very difficult race, with mixed conditions between wet and dry. It was very close, so I think we managed to put together a good finish, fighting with the other cars.

“I made a good start and managed to pass him (Bortoleto) straight away. I was then fighting with him and Carlos, but unfortunately, we had a very slow pit stop. I think it’s the same issue we experienced in Mexico, so it’s definitely something we need to work on. We need to make sure we fix our tools and get everything right, so hopefully we can have a much stronger end to the season.”

Valtteri Bottas, DNS

“It’s sad that we were unable to start the race today. Before the lap to the grid, we tried to change the tyre but couldn’t get the right rear wheel nut off. We’re not sure what caused it but we will learn from it and hopefully not face a similar issue again. At least yesterday we were able to demonstrate some decent pace at times. We’ll regroup ahead of the final races and focus on ending the season on a positive note.”

Marcin Budkowski, Team Principal

“It was a challenging day, starting with a cross-threaded wheel nut on Valtteri’s car on the laps to the grid, which unfortunately forced us to retire the car before the start. It is a frustrating end to a triple-header and I want to thank Valtteri and the garage crew for their relentless efforts. We’ll investigate the issue to ensure we don’t suffer a repeat.

“On Checo’s side, he drove well, managing the changeable conditions, and the team made good strategy calls to beat a few of our competitors and finish P18 despite a slow pit stop. The rain ultimately wasn’t disruptive enough to shake up the field, but it was a solid performance from Checo, maintaining pace with our nearest competitors. After a short break, we head back to the US next for our final home race of the season in Las Vegas, which will be a special weekend for the team.”

Pirelli

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."