Lando Norris secured pole position at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in a rain-delayed qualifying session at Interlagos. The session was delayed by nearly 90 minutes due to heavy rain, making it one of the most unpredictable qualifying sessions of the season. Lando Norris, driving for McLaren, finished ahead of fellow Briton George Russell by 0.204 seconds. Russell received a five-place grid penalty for exceeding the number of engine parts allowed, while Mercedes' Charles Leclerc qualified fourth but was promoted to third position with a 10-place grid penalty. Kimi Antonelli, team-mate and new world champion, was promoted to second after being behind Norris.
Other notable results included Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) rising to third after a sixth-place finish, and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) moving up one spot to eighth. The wet conditions allowed drivers in less powerful cars to shine, particularly Alonso whose Aston Martin was among the slowest in the field. Norris repeated his pole from Brazil last year and will start from the front for the first time since the Spanish Grand Prix.
The race previews highlight the impact of weather on qualifying strategy.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing