Sprint qualifying – Piastri leads McLaren double, Verstappen fourth

This weekend, São Paulo hosts the penultimate sprint of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Before the qualifying session for the short race, the teams were able to take to the track during the only free practice session. An hour of testing which saw Lando Norris set the best time, ahead of George Russell and Oliver Bearman, replacing the unwell Kevin Magnussen, at the wheel of the VF-24 for the start of the weekend. A session in which the Red Bulls showed themselves to be in great difficulty, with Max Verstappen taking the 15th time, four positions ahead of Pérez, 19th.

For this first part of the sprint qualifications, the sky is gray, the track is dry and temperatures are around 21°C in the air and 42°C on the ground. With a risk of showers estimated at 45%, rain could appear during the session. As a reminder, the teams are obliged to use medium rubbers during SQ1 and SQ2, then soft rubbers in SQ3, knowing that they cannot change sets of tires during each session.

SQ1 – Lando Norris black du lot

The single-seaters set off on the São Paulo track with the Ferraris in the lead. Charles Leclerc is the first to place himself at the top of the timesheet with a time of 1'11''654, beaten a few seconds later by both Alpine and then Sergio Pérez, equipped with a different chassis this weekend. In these first minutes of SQ1, the best time continues to fall. After Alexander Albon, the Mercedes, Lando Norris then Liam Lawson, it was Oscar Piastri who was the fastest in 1'10''265. After the first runs, it is the Aston Martin, the Sauber and Franco Colapinto who are in the red zone.

After a quick return through the pits, the 20 drivers come out for the last three minutes. While Verstappen comes to position himself behind Piastri, his teammate Pérez inserts himself between the two drivers, beaten by Leclerc a few seconds later. Under the checkered flag, Fernando Alonso initially managed to save himself, along with Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas, but the improvement of Colapinto eliminated the Aston Martin driver, who joined Esteban Ocon and Yuki Tsunoda. At the same time, Lando Norris lights the three sectors purple and takes the best time in 1'09''477.

Those eliminated in SQ1: Alonso, Ocon, Tsunoda, Stroll, Zhou

SQ2 – Hamilton and Pérez eliminated, Gasly in SQ3

Equipped with a new set of medium tires, the drivers returned to the track, with George Russell setting the first time in 1'09''683. The fastest during SQ1, Lando Norris beats his compatriot by a little more than six tenths in 1'09''063. At the same time, Verstappen achieved the best first sector, but lost more than two tenths in the second, to take the second time, more than four tenths behind the McLaren driver. The Dutchman still placed himself in front of Piastri and the two Ferraris.

Three minutes from time, while all the drivers came out for a second run, the two Haas and Liam Lawson set off for the first time in this second part of sprint qualifying. Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson managed to enter the top 10, as did Pierre Gasly who set the sixth fastest time. Sprint qualifying will end there for Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Pérez, who failed to improve their own mark.

Those eliminated in SQ2: Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Perez, Colapinto, Bottas

SQ3 – Piastri ahead of Norris by 29 thousandths

In this last part of the sprint qualifications, Piastri is the first on track, followed by his teammate. The Australian set the first time in 1'09''225, now equipped with soft tyres. He was immediately beaten by Norris in 1'08''928. Alex Albon, third car on the track, therefore takes third position, while the other seven cars will only do one quick lap.

Among them, it was Pierre Gasly's Alpine which started first and set the third fastest time behind the two McLarens. The Frenchman was beaten by Carlos Sainz, while Leclerc came between the two McLarens. While we thought Norris was on another planet, Piastri took the best time in 1'08''899. The Australian will therefore start in front of his teammate in a sprint, followed by Leclerc, Verstappen and Sainz. Pierre Gasly will start from seventh place, behind Russell.

São Paulo Grand Prix – Qualifications Sprint

SQ1

SQ2

SQ3