Norris takes pole in rain-delayed qualifying
Lando Norris secured pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after a wet qualifying session at Interlagos was postponed for approximately ninety minutes due to heavy rainfall. The McLaren driver edged out George Russell by 0.204 seconds, though the Mercedes driver expressed frustration over an aborted lap that he believed would have been quicker.
Russell will start from a lower grid position due to a five-place penalty for exceeding engine part limits, which elevates his teammate and new world champion Kimi Antonelli to second place.
Charles Leclerc qualified in fourth but faces a ten-place grid penalty, allowing Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson to claim third on the grid. The wet conditions leveled the playing field, resulting in strong qualifying performances from several drivers, including Nico Hulkenberg, Oliver Bearman, and Fernando Alonso, who all advanced in their starting positions relative to their raw qualifying times.
