Sao Paulo Grand Prix qualifying — Lando Norris secured pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in qualifying that he described as among the wettest he has experienced, and the McLaren driver is now hoping for more rain on race day. The session at Interlagos was delayed by roughly ninety minutes when conditions were deemed too dangerous to allow cars on track.
Norris’s third consecutive pole in Brazil came under circumstances that several drivers called borderline. George Russell, who qualified second for Mercedes but will start seventh due to a five-place grid penalty, was among the most outspoken about the hazards.
Russell’s Frustration and Relief
Russell reported zero visibility on the straight into Turn Four and described aquaplaning at over 200km/h in fifth gear. He said that if such conditions had occurred during a race, driving would have been unacceptable because the risk of a serious incident was very high.
There was also frustration for Russell over a team miscommunication. He believed he had the pace for pole but was told to back off on what he felt would have been his fastest lap after encountering Alex Albon in the middle sector. The team expected heavier rain to hold off long enough for another attempt, but it did not, and Russell vented over the radio. Even without the error, his grid penalty meant he would not have started from pole.
Russell took some consolation from his speed, saying it reminded him that he has not forgotten how to drive. He added that his confidence in the wet was high and that his pace alongside Norris was the best in the field.
Norris Credits Conditions for Pole
Norris was candid about the role the weather played in his result. He said that in dry conditions he would not have been in pole position because McLaren lacked the pace of Mercedes. The rain, he explained, gave him an opportunity that he converted with two strong laps.
He described the session as tense, requiring him to learn the conditions while avoiding any mistake. Q3 was particularly tricky because of the difficulty in seeing where the track was dry, wet or holding puddles. Norris welcomed the prospect of a wet race, noting that light rain is forecast and that the track will likely remain damp throughout the day.
Alonso Makes Rare Q3 Appearance
Fernando Alonso reached Q3 for the first time this year, taking advantage of the wet conditions to showcase his ability in an Aston Martin-Honda that has struggled all season. He took risks in Q1 and Q2 as conditions were uncertain for everyone, but in Q3 he was first in the pit lane queue and his tyres were ice cold, leaving him without grip.
Alonso noted that the gap to the cars ahead was too large to dream of higher positions, and he acknowledged that the wet reduces the time spent at full throttle, limiting the damage from the engine’s lack of power. He also said the engine remains important for drivability and corner behaviour, where the team still has issues. Like Norris and Russell, Alonso hopes for rain in the race, knowing that a dry track would likely see him drop back, especially with the long pit straight exposing Honda’s power deficit.
Hamilton and Leclerc Clear the Air
Ferrari’s weekend began with clear-the-air talks between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton after their first-lap battle cost the team victory in Mexico. Both drivers took new internal combustion engines, incurring ten-place grid penalties, and Hamilton’s new engine failed in final practice, forcing another change and leaving him at the back alongside Max Verstappen.
Leclerc, who returned to Europe between races for the birth of his daughter Bianca, said the discussion was necessary and that the matter had taken on disproportionate importance. He considered the chapter closed and emphasised that speaking openly helps, even when there is tension and disagreement. Hamilton said they had squashed the issue and were moving on, stressing mutual respect and that no demands were made from either side.
Unfamiliar Grid Sets Up Unpredictable Race
The rain, combined with penalties for four of the usual front-runners, produced an unusual starting order. Kimi Antonelli will join Norris on the front row, while Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg occupy the second row. Oliver Bearman lines up sixth, and both Alonso and Alex Albon reached the top ten for the first time this year. Leclerc qualified fourth but drops to fourteenth, while Hamilton and Verstappen start twentieth and twenty-first.
With light rain forecast and Interlagos known for its changeable weather, teams and drivers remain open-minded about what the race will bring. The prospect of a wet grand prix has left several drivers, including Norris, Russell and Alonso, hoping the rain returns.
