Lando Norris will start the Sao Paulo Grand Prix from pole position. The McLaren driver achieved the fastest time in a qualifying session significantly impacted by heavy rain and subsequent delays at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace. The session was postponed by nearly 90 minutes due to the weather conditions.
Qualifying commenced at 15:00 local time but was red-flagged just two minutes later due to torrential downpours. The session resumed at 16:26 local time, a delay of 1 hour and 24 minutes, with all cars initially on full wet tyres.
Conditions improved sufficiently for intermediate tyres in Q3, which effectively became a one-lap shootout as rain returned. Norris clocked a 1:27.470 lap to secure P1. This marks his third consecutive pole position at Interlagos.
The starting grid for Sunday’s race has been heavily altered by multiple power unit penalties. Five drivers received penalties for exceeding their season allocation of engine components.
Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, will start from the back of the grid. He initially received a 10-place penalty for a fifth Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). Further technical issues in FP3 necessitated a complete power unit replacement.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull also faces a back-of-the-grid start. His penalty totals 30 places for exceeding limits on the ICE, turbocharger, and exhaust components.
Sergio Perez, representing Cadillac, will also start from the back. He incurred penalties for a new Ferrari ICE, turbocharger, and Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K). Cadillac is a new entrant for the 2026 season.
Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s teammate at Ferrari, received a 10-place grid penalty for his fifth ICE. George Russell of Mercedes will drop five places due to a similar engine component change.
The revised top ten for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix grid is as follows:
1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
3. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
4. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
6. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
7. George Russell (Mercedes)
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
9. Alex Albon (Williams)
10. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Kimi Antonelli, who became the youngest F1 title-winner last weekend in Mexico City, will start on the front row alongside Norris. Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls will begin from third, matching his career-best grid position.
Nico Hulkenberg, driving for Audi, secured fourth place on the grid. This marks the 16th anniversary of his first career pole position in 2010.
Isack Hadjar, now with Red Bull, qualified seventh on the road and will start fifth after penalties. Oliver Bearman, representing Haas, will start sixth.
Hamilton and Verstappen were eliminated in Q2. Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, did not switch to intermediate tyres during the session. Verstappen did not set a time in Q2, conserving tyres for the anticipated wet race.
Q2 was red-flagged early following a crash by Rafael Camara at Juncao. Camara, making his F1 debut for Haas, is replacing Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the 2026 season and is confirmed for Haas in 2027.
Arvid Lindblad, the sole rookie on the 2026 grid for Racing Bulls, was forced to stop his car in Q2 due to a technical failure at Turn 4. Oscar Piastri was eliminated in 12th place on pace.
Q1 also experienced a red flag at 15:02 local time due to heavy rain, delaying the session by 84 minutes. Gabriel Bortoleto, driving for Audi, spun and damaged his rear wing, ending his session.
Franco Colapinto of Alpine was among the six drivers eliminated in Q1. Colapinto was confirmed to complete Alpine’s 2026 driver lineup alongside Pierre Gasly in November 2025.
