Hamilton to start ahead of Verstappen despite larger penalty

Lewis Hamilton has received 75 grid places of penalties for the São Paulo Grand Prix, against 30 for Max Verstappen, yet he will still line up ahead of the Red Bull driver on Sunday. Ferrari originally planned only a combustion engine change for Hamilton's SF-26, costing 10 places, but a power unit problem in third practice led to a fresh engine being fitted, adding a 65-place penalty. Verstappen also took new power unit components. Hamilton qualified 11th, while Verstappen sat out Q2 to save wet-weather tyres and finished 16th.

The order is determined by the regulations, which separate penalties of 15 places or fewer from those exceeding 15. Drivers with smaller penalties are placed first, followed by unpenalised drivers filling the remaining gaps. Drivers with penalties above 15 places are then sent to the back, with the highest qualifier among them taking the best remaining position, regardless of the size of the penalty. Hamilton, qualifying ahead of Verstappen, therefore takes the higher spot. Sergio Pérez, with a 30-place penalty, starts last after qualifying 21st.