McLaren driver Lando Norris mastered treacherous conditions at Interlagos to claim pole position for the São Paulo Grand Prix after a heavy downpour disrupted qualifying. The session lasted two and a half hours due to delays, leaving a mixed-up grid ahead of Sunday’s race where more rain is predicted.
Qualifying Chaos and Grid Penalties
Following the wet session, Norris expressed confidence in his wet-weather pace as Sport | The Guardian reported. Mercedes driver George Russell finished second on track, but a grid penalty promotes his teammate Kimi Antonelli—the new world champion—to the front row alongside Norris. Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson moves up to third, while Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg climbs to fourth.
Heavy streams of water flooded across the track during the early runs, prompting Russell to describe the conditions as crazy. He warned that if it had been an actual race, driving would have been out of the question due to the extremely high risk of a severe incident.
A raft of drivers received grid penalties for taking new engines, including Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen opted not to set a time after Q1 to save his tyres and will start from 21st. Hamilton took a full range of components after an internal combustion engine failure in final practice and will start from 20th. Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc finished fourth but carries a 10-place penalty for a new ICE, putting him 14th on the grid.
Russell himself received a five-place penalty for a new engine and drops to seventh. The British driver expressed frustration that his team instructed him to back off on his final quick run, believing it would have been fast enough for pole.
Championship Implications and Upgrades
The penalties place Mercedes in a strong position to secure their first double championship since 2020 and their ninth constructors’ title. They need to outscore Ferrari by three points in Brazil to clinch the title.
For McLaren, the pole position validated their latest major upgrades, which included a new front wing aimed at addressing the narrow balance edge of their current car while looking toward 2027. Norris noted that the developments proved beneficial and provided a confidence boost for the team.
Further down the grid, Brazilian Ferrari junior driver Rafael Câmara made it into Q2 on his F1 debut for Haas at his home grand prix, but crashed late in the session. Cadillac driver Sergio Pérez also took a full set of new engine components and will start from the back.
Rain is expected for the race scheduled for 5pm on Sunday, leaving the outcome wide open as drivers like Verstappen and Hamilton look to mount comebacks from the back of the field.
