NORRIS TAKES POLE IN DRAMATIC SÃO PAULO QUALIFYING
Lando Norris will start the São Paulo Grand Prix from pole position after topping a dramatic Qualifying session in which Max Verstappen was knocked out in Q1.
After the busy Sprint earlier in the day, teams rushed to repair their cars in time for Qualifying. The session started a few minutes late because a barrier at Turn 10 also needed repairs.
When Q1 began, most drivers went out immediately, including three of the four who crashed in the Sprint. Only Gabriel Bortoleto stayed in the garage.
Oscar Piastri pushed hard but locked up at Turn 1 and ended up low on the early timesheets. Most drivers used soft tyres, except Charles Leclerc, who tried mediums.
Ollie Bearman surprised many by going fastest with a 1m 09.891s, the first lap of the day under 1m 10s. But times kept improving as the track got quicker.
The drivers in danger of being knocked out were Verstappen, Colapinto, Ocon, Tsunoda and Bortoleto. Bortoleto had not set a time because his car was still being repaired. Verstappen went out alone to try to improve, but a mistake at Turn 9 meant he stayed 16th.
He asked his engineer if the team could help with settings, but he didn’t seem sure what else could be done. In the final minutes, everyone went out for one last try.
Norris went fastest with a 1m 09.656s. Gasly jumped to second. But Verstappen still couldn’t improve enough to escape the bottom five, meaning he was out in Q1 after struggling with grip. Red Bull’s tough day continued with Tsunoda also eliminated. Ocon, Colapinto and Bortoleto joined them at the back.
Knocked out: Verstappen, Ocon, Colapinto, Tsunoda, Bortoleto
Q2 started with Albon and Sainz heading out first, followed by everyone else on soft tyres.
Bearman again impressed, setting the early fastest lap with a 1m 09.755s, just ahead of rookie Antonelli. Piastri was third on used softs.
In the danger zone were Gasly, Stroll, Leclerc, Hülkenberg and Sainz. Hamilton sat in 10th, right on the edge. Russell, meanwhile, told his team he had “no grip.”
Gasly improved to fifth. Then Norris once again went fastest with a 1m 09.616s. Mercedes sent Antonelli and Russell out late, but both reached the top 10 safely.
Hamilton wasn’t so fortunate. He dropped to 13th and couldn’t improve, repeating his Sprint Qualifying exit from Friday. A possible blocking incident between Russell and Hamilton was noted but not investigated further. Alonso was knocked out in 11th. Albon, Stroll and Sainz also failed to make Q3.
Knocked out: Alonso, Albon, Hamilton, Stroll, Sainz
Q3 featured both McLarens, both Mercedes cars, both Racing Bulls, plus Leclerc, Bearman, Hülkenberg and Gasly.
On the first runs, Piastri took provisional pole with a 1m 09.897s, just 0.002s ahead of Leclerc. Bearman was third, followed by Antonelli and Russell. Norris had a lock-up at Turn 1 and set the slowest time of the group.
Everyone prepared for their final laps. Bearman went out first but didn’t improve. Leclerc briefly took P1, but Norris immediately beat him with a 1m 09.511s.
Piastri improved but couldn’t climb higher. Antonelli did go faster, moving into second place and matching Friday’s Sprint Qualifying front row: Norris on pole, Antonelli beside him.
Leclerc will start third, Piastri fourth, and Isack Hadjar impressed again with fifth. Russell took sixth ahead of Lawson in seventh. Bearman was eighth, with Gasly and Hülkenberg ninth and tenth.
The São Paulo Grand Prix begins at 14:00 local time on Sunday, setting the stage for another unpredictable race.
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