Norris takes pole for São Paulo GP in rain-hit qualifying at Interlagos

Lando Norris of McLaren claimed pole position for the São Paulo Grand Prix after a qualifying session severely affected by heavy rain at Interlagos. The session was delayed and interrupted multiple times due to standing water on the track.

The qualifying began at the scheduled time of 15:00 but was stopped shortly after with a red flag because drivers complained about aquaplaning risks. The session remained halted for about one hour and twenty minutes while officials waited for conditions to improve.

“I locked the front wheel and could not stop the car in time before hitting the wall.”

Norris set the fastest lap in Q3 with a time of 1 minute 27.470 seconds. George Russell of Mercedes was second at 1 minute 27.674 seconds, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished third at 1 minute 28.095 seconds.

Grid penalties for engine component changes altered the final starting order. Russell drops five places to seventh after using a sixth internal combustion engine, while Charles Leclerc of Ferrari loses ten positions and starts from fourteenth.

As a result of the penalties, Antonelli will start alongside Norris on the front row, with Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls also in the top positions. Brazilian drivers Rafael Câmara and Gabriel Bortoleto both crashed during the session.

The São Paulo Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday at 14:00 Brasilia time and will be broadcast by TV Globo.