Norris takes Brazilian GP pole in wet, delayed qualifying

Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after a heavily delayed qualifying session disrupted by rain. Torrential conditions led to Q1 being red-flagged almost immediately, and the session was held up for more than an hour, making it the second-longest qualifying in F1 history. Norris finished 0.204 seconds ahead of George Russell's Mercedes, earning his third pole of the 2026 season and a third consecutive pole at Interlagos.

Russell was left frustrated after his race engineer told him to abort his final lap because of traffic. He will drop to seventh on the grid after taking a five-place penalty for a fresh engine. As a result, new world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli moves onto the front row alongside Norris, while Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg form a surprise second row.

Charles Leclerc qualified fourth but will drop 10 places after Ferrari fitted a new power unit to his car. Fernando Alonso advanced to Q3 for the first time this year, while Oscar Piastri failed to progress from Q2 and will start from 12th.