Lando Norris secured pole position for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday, navigating challenging wet conditions at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. The McLaren driver’s performance came during a qualifying session heavily impacted by rain, which also saw significant grid penalties applied to multiple front-running drivers for Sunday’s race.
The qualifying session at Interlagos was delayed due to heavy rainfall, with drivers initially using full wet tyres before transitioning to intermediates as track conditions gradually improved. This unpredictable weather is a characteristic feature of the Brazilian circuit, known for producing dramatic races.
Norris, the reigning 2025 Formula 1 World Champion, set the fastest time of 1:27.470. George Russell, driving for Mercedes, qualified second with a time of 1:27.674. His teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, secured third place on the grid, recording a 1:28.095.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified fourth, followed by Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls in fifth. Nico Hulkenberg placed his Audi in sixth, ahead of Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in seventh. Haas driver Oliver Bearman qualified eighth, with Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Alex Albon (Williams) completing the top ten.
Despite not featuring at the very top of the final qualifying results, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton demonstrated strong pace in the initial Q1 session. Both drivers, multiple world champions, were notably the fastest through the corners in the heavily wet conditions of Q1.
Their performance in Q1 highlighted their skill in adverse weather. Lando Norris was 0.5% slower than Verstappen and Hamilton in the corners during that session. George Russell was 0.7% slower.
Isack Hadjar, Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate for 2026, lost 1.4% of the lap time in the corners. Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, was 2.3% slower in the corners during Q1.
However, both Verstappen and Hamilton faced substantial grid penalties for Sunday’s race. Hamilton received a 75-place grid penalty due to multiple power unit component changes, including a full power unit replacement after issues in FP3.
This penalty will see Hamilton start the Grand Prix from 20th position. Verstappen incurred a 30-place grid penalty for using a fifth internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and exhaust set.
Verstappen opted not to participate in Q2 or Q3, and will start the race from 21st. Charles Leclerc also received a 10-place grid penalty, placing him 14th on the grid.
George Russell’s five-place grid penalty for a sixth internal combustion engine means he will start from seventh. Sergio Perez of Cadillac also received a 30-place grid penalty, starting 22nd.
FIA regulations state that drivers with more than 15 cumulative grid position penalties start at the back of the grid. Their relative order is then determined by their qualifying performance.
The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, also known as Interlagos, has a history of unpredictable weather. This often leads to challenging conditions where driver skill can significantly influence outcomes.
Charles Leclerc, who has historically faced difficulties in wet conditions with Ferrari, reported positive feedback from experimental setups during qualifying. He indicated that the team made progress in understanding the SF-26 in the rain.
“I have been at Ferrari for nine years, and I have never had the feeling I had in the junior categories. Wet weather has always been one of my strengths, but I have always struggled at Ferrari. Today was positive, and we tried many things,” Leclerc stated.
The adjusted grid sets the stage for a potentially dynamic race on Sunday, with several top contenders starting from compromised positions.
