Fernando Alonso secured ninth position in a rain-affected qualifying session for the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. This marks the Aston Martin driver’s first Q3 appearance of the current Formula 1 season. He will start Sunday’s race from eighth on the grid following a penalty for Charles Leclerc.
Alonso’s best Q3 lap time was 1:30.311. He stated that the top six cars were operating on an “unreachable planet” during the challenging conditions.
The two-time champion was 0.480 seconds slower than Haas driver Oliver Bearman, who qualified eighth. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, in seventh, was 1.548 seconds quicker than Alonso.
Liam Lawson, driving for Racing Bulls, qualified fifth and was 1.990 seconds faster than Alonso. Lawson will start third due to grid penalties affecting other competitors.
Alonso reflected on his Q3 performance, noting that his tyres were “ice cold” as he was the first car in the queue. He also cited sub-optimal energy modes on his second flying lap.
He estimated that an additional 0.5 to 0.8 seconds of performance could have been unlocked. However, he concluded this would only have gained one position.
Aston Martin has experienced a difficult 2026 season under the new technical regulations. This Q3 appearance represents a significant improvement for the team.
The team switched to Honda power units for 2026, and has faced early season struggles with reliability and overall performance.
Alonso has been the sole points scorer for Aston Martin this year, with top-10 finishes in Monaco, the Netherlands, and Malaysia.
The qualifying session saw Lando Norris claim pole position for McLaren with a time of 1:27.470. George Russell of Mercedes qualified second, followed by Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc qualified fourth for Ferrari, with Liam Lawson fifth, Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) sixth, Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) seventh, Oliver Bearman (Haas) eighth, Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) ninth, and Alex Albon (Williams) tenth.
Multiple drivers received grid penalties for power unit component changes. Charles Leclerc incurred a 10-place penalty for a new internal combustion engine, dropping him to 14th.
George Russell received a five-place grid penalty for an engine change, moving him from second to seventh.
Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, will start from the back of the grid due to a full power unit change. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Sergio Perez (Cadillac) also face back-of-the-grid starts due to extensive power unit penalties.
Isack Hadjar joined Red Bull for the 2026 season to partner Max Verstappen. Oliver Bearman is contracted with Haas until at least the end of 2027.
Liam Lawson’s future with Racing Bulls beyond 2026 remains uncertain despite his strong performances this season.
Alonso expressed hope for continued wet conditions during Sunday’s race. He believes this would offer Aston Martin a better chance to score points.
Dry conditions in FP3 saw the Aston Martin car in 18th position, indicating a struggle for pace without the rain.
Rain is forecast for Sunday in Sao Paulo, with showers possible throughout race day at the Interlagos circuit.
