Lando Norris secured pole position in a delayed and rain-disrupted qualifying session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The heavy rain caused an immediate red flag during Q1, postponing the session for over an hour, making it the second-longest qualifying in Formula 1 history.
After two and a half hours of qualifying, Norris emerged fastest, beating George Russell’s Mercedes by 0.204 seconds to claim his third pole of the 2026 season. This also marked Norris’s third consecutive pole at Brazil’s Interlagos circuit.
Norris reflected on the challenging conditions, saying it was crucial to execute two flawless laps early on before heavier rain arrived, and expressed satisfaction with the result. Meanwhile, Russell was left disappointed after being told to abort his final lap because of traffic, and he will start from seventh on the grid due to a five-place penalty for a new engine.
Russell’s penalty pushes newly crowned world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli to the front row alongside Norris. Charles Leclerc qualified fourth but will drop ten places after receiving a new power unit. Consequently, Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg will start the race from the second row after impressive qualifying runs for Racing Bulls and Audi respectively.
Isack Hadjar, who qualified seventh, moves up to fifth, with Ollie Bearman starting sixth after reaching Q3 for only the second time this season in his Haas. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso made it into Q3 for the first time this year in his Aston Martin, finishing ninth fastest and moving up to eighth after Leclerc’s penalty. Alex Albon finished tenth and will start ninth.
Lewis Hamilton was 11th in Q2 but did not run on intermediates, and he will start from the back of the grid due to a power unit change. Oscar Piastri was surprisingly knocked out in Q2, placing 12th, just ahead of F1 rookie Rafael Camara, who impressed by reaching Q2 on his home track before crashing at Juncao, causing another red flag.
Arvid Lindblad stopped in 14th with a car issue, followed by Carlos Sainz in 15th after struggling at the tricky Turn 12. Max Verstappen was 16th as he saved his tyres, knowing he would start at the back due to penalties. Alpine endured a tough qualifying, with Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly exiting in Q1.
Lance Stroll qualified 19th after going off at the final corner, ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, who completed the bottom of the order. Local favorite Gabriel Bortoleto’s session ended prematurely after a crash at Juncao damaged his Audi, leaving him last among 22 drivers.
Rain remains a factor heading into Sunday’s 5 pm GMT race, potentially adding further unpredictability to an already eventful weekend.
Fan Take:
This dramatic qualifying session highlights how weather and penalties continue to shake up the grid, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. With Norris starting strong and surprise front-row starters emerging, Sunday’s race promises thrilling battles that could reshape the championship dynamics.
Source: www.crash.net
