Lando Norris secured pole position for the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, topping a rain-affected qualifying session. George Russell qualified second for Mercedes, with teammate Kimi Antonelli in third.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen did not set a time in Q2, as he was already confirmed to start from the back of the grid. This follows a 30-place cumulative penalty for exceeding his power unit component allowance.
Verstappen’s penalty stems from taking a fifth internal combustion engine, fifth turbocharger, and fifth exhaust set for the Interlagos event. FIA regulations mandate a back-of-the-grid start for any driver accumulating more than 15 grid places in penalties.
Several other prominent drivers also incurred grid penalties. George Russell will drop five places for a sixth internal combustion engine. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc faces a 10-place penalty for his fifth ICE.
Lewis Hamilton, also driving for Ferrari, will start from the back of the grid. He initially received a 10-place penalty for a new ICE, but further technical issues in FP3 necessitated a complete power unit change.
Cadillac’s Sergio Pérez will also commence the race from the back, having received a 30-place penalty for new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and MGU-K components.
Despite the grid penalty, Verstappen demonstrated strong pace in the final practice session, clocking the fastest time in FP3. This performance followed Red Bull addressing steering and downshift issues identified during Friday practice.
Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies expressed confidence in Verstappen’s ability to recover. Mekies noted the team made overnight setup changes, and Verstappen’s FP3 pace was a ‘promising indication’ of their progress.
It’s been a busy day here in São Paulo, with plenty of work going on behind the scenes. The Team made a number of changes overnight, and Max’s performance in FP3 was an encouraging indication of the progress we had made.
The RB22 has presented challenges throughout the 2026 season, with Red Bull yet to secure a victory. The car has struggled with an inconsistent operating window, excess weight, and power unit reliability.
Mekies previously acknowledged that the team’s aggressive late development push on the 2025 car contributed to a difficult start for the 2026 challenger.
Isack Hadjar, Verstappen’s teammate, qualified seventh in the session. After the application of various grid penalties, Hadjar will start the São Paulo Grand Prix from fifth position.
Hadjar has accumulated 107 points from 16 races this season, placing him eighth in the Drivers’ Championship. He has secured two podium finishes in 2026, at Monaco and Baku, despite missing three races due to a fractured wrist.
Verstappen has a history of strong recovery drives at Interlagos, having won from 17th on the grid in 2024 and finishing third from a pit-lane start in 2025. Mekies has publicly stated his expectation for Verstappen to perform ‘miracles’ from the rear of the grid.
