Lando Norris says qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix brought "some of the wettest conditions" he has ever driven, and he is hoping for more rain in Sunday's race. It was the third consecutive year Norris has taken pole in Brazil, in a session stopped for nearly an hour and a half after officials initially tried to start it. Many drivers agreed conditions were borderline in the extreme.
Mercedes driver George Russell, who qualified second, was frustrated by a team miscommunication that he felt cost him pole. He described Q1 as extremely challenging, with zero visibility down the straight into Turn Four and aquaplaning at over 200km/h (120mph). "I love driving in the rain," he said, "but at some point, if that was a race, there was no way we should be driving in that."
Grid penalties for four of the usual front-runners, including Russell, have produced an unfamiliar order. Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg occupy the second row, while Haas driver Oliver Bearman is sixth. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Williams' Alex Albon both made the top 10 for the first time in 2026. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen start 20th and 21st after engine changes exceeded their allowance, and Charles Leclerc has a 10-place penalty.
Norris had not taken pole since the Spanish Grand Prix in September. He credited upgrades to his McLaren but said the wet gave him the opportunity he needed, noting that the team had not matched the Mercedes pace in the dry. Sunday's forecast calls for light rain, and with Interlagos famous for unpredictable weather, Norris expects an exciting race with a bit of everything.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing