Lando Norris showcased his composure and speed to claim pole position for Saturday’s sprint race at the São Paulo Grand Prix. Coming off a statement win in Mexico that propelled him back into the championship lead, Norris now has a prime opportunity to extend his advantage as title contenders struggle behind him on the grid.
Oscar Piastri, just one point behind Norris in the championship standings with 114 points left on the table across four remaining races, secured third place on the grid. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, trailing Norris by 36 points, could only manage sixth after struggling with a car he described as “completely broken” and “just undriveable.”
Among the front-runners, Kimi Antonelli clocked the second-fastest time, with George Russell securing fourth in the Mercedes. Veteran Fernando Alonso lined up fifth, ahead of Verstappen.
READ MORE: Estate Agent Geraldine White Dies Following Horse-Riding Accident
READ MORE: Reform’s AI-Generated Carnival Float Sparks Confusion and Complaint Surge
Norris edged Antonelli by a slim 0.097 seconds, while Piastri lagged 0.185 seconds behind the pole-sitter. Verstappen was approximately a third of a second slower.
“It was a little bit tougher than I would have liked,” Norris admitted. “We did what we needed to do today by being the fastest. I haven’t felt as comfortable here as I did in Mexico, so this result means a lot.”
While blue skies greeted the qualifying session, forecasts predict rain and strong winds on Saturday. The sprint race, a 24-lap dash starting at 11:00 local time (14:00 GMT), will precede the main event’s qualifying later in the day.
“We’ll see what tomorrow brings,” Norris said. “There’s supposed to be a lot of rain and wind, so everyone should be ready with their rain jackets. But there’s no point worrying about that now. I’m satisfied with today. It was challenging, but I put it together. Now, the focus is on tomorrow.”
Lewis Hamilton, a huge favorite in Brazil due to his admiration for local legend Ayrton Senna, faced a tougher day. The seven-time world champion, still seeking his first Ferrari podium after 21 races with the team, was eliminated in Q2 and will start the sprint from 11th position.
Hamilton’s final qualifying run was compromised when his teammate Charles Leclerc spun late in the session, preventing Hamilton from improving his time. Disappointed, Hamilton returned to the pits shaking his head.
“P11 and box,” his race engineer Riccardo Adami confirmed, to which Hamilton responded ruefully, “Yeah, every time, mate.”
Despite his spin, Leclerc advanced to the final qualifying phase and will start three places ahead of Hamilton. Further frustration may await Hamilton as race stewards investigate a possible yellow-flag infringement, a breach that could result in a grid penalty.