Norris on pole, Verstappen at the back of the grid in São Paulo

After a start to the weekend devoted to the sprint race, it’s now time for the qualifying session for the São Paulo Grand Prix. So far, it is McLaren who have shown themselves to be the fastest team in the field by signing a double in sprint qualifying and then in the short test earlier in the day. A race that saw Lando Norris take first place after his teammate let him pass a few laps from the checkered flag.

The Briton therefore enters this second part of the weekend with a delay of 44 points on his rival Max Verstappen, fourth in the sprint after receiving a five-second penalty for having restarted too early at the end of the virtual safety car. . It was therefore Charles Leclerc who took advantage by recovering third position for the Red Bull.

While the rain had spared the Autódromo José Carlos Pace until then, a deluge fell on the São Paulo track just before the qualifying session on Saturday. Scheduled for 7 p.m. (French time), the latter was postponed this Sunday to 11:30 a.m. (7:30 a.m. in Brazil). The Grand Prix will also be brought forward to 4:30 p.m. this afternoon, due to weather conditions.

Q1 – Hamilton eliminated, Norris was very hot

When we no longer believed it, the single-seaters finally took to the track for the qualifying session of the São Paulo Grand Prix. Unsurprisingly, all the drivers set off on wet tyres, but the yellow flag was already waved in the first seconds after a straight line from Liam Lawson in the last corner of the track. The New Zealander can leave. It was Alexander Albon who set the first time, followed by Norris, beaten by Esteban Ocon in 1’30”096.

After a few minutes of session, several track exits were noted, but without major consequences. Fernando Alonso sets the second fastest time, followed by Yuki Tsunoda and the two Red Bulls. Ten minutes from the end of the session, it was the Japanese who was the fastest in 1’29”172, while several drivers suggested switching to intermediate rubber, Bottas was already equipped with it.

Franco Colapinto was the first to be heavily trapped by the rain. The Williams driver lost control of his car in turn 3, before hitting the wall. The Argentinian is doing well but the red flag is waved and the session is interrupted. Time to evacuate the car, the session resumes a few minutes later, the drivers still equipped with rain tires.

In the red zone, Lewis Hamitlon manages to save himself but remains in danger by only setting the 14th time, while his teammate saves himself for good by placing himself behind Tsunoda, in second place, Ocon coming between the two pilots a few seconds later. While Albon takes the best time in 1’29”072, Norris saves himself from elimination in 15th place, while Hamilton, still in difficulty in qualifying, fails at the gate of Q2 and will start from 16th place. Verstappen concluded this Q1 in first position, posting a 1’28”522.

Those eliminated in Q1: Hamilton, Bearman, Colapinto, Hülkenberg, Zhou

Q2 – Sainz and Stroll in the wall, Verstappen eliminated!

The drivers leave for the second part of qualifying. While most set off on wet tyres, Oscar Piastri takes the challenge of intermediates. Carlos Sainz took the first time in 1’29”406, directly beaten by Leclerc in 1’29”332. On a track which, despite everything, is improving, the times fall, to the advantage of Pérez in 1’28”158. However, it was Verstappen who had the last word in 1’27”771.

The only intermediate driver, Oscar Piastri set the best time in 1’27”141. The Australian continued to push and improved his own mark to 1’25”179. This logically pushes other single-seaters to equip themselves with green sidewall tires. Newly trapped in these qualifications, it was Carlos Sainz who hit the wall in turn 2 after losing control of his car. The driver is fine and the red flag is waved again. The session is interrupted.

When the light turns green, it’s Lando Norris who comes out first. The McLaren driver is only 11th and must enter the top 10 if he wants to qualify for Q3. Cautiously, the Briton managed to move up to third place. While Alonso took the best time in 1’25”035, Leclerc also escaped by taking the third time, which eliminated Verstappen.

The Dutchman will not be able to improve and stops in Q2 since Lance Stroll went off the track at the exit of turn 3. The red flag is waved once again and the session will not restart. The Red Bull driver will therefore start from 17th place due to his five penalty positions on the grid. Just before that, Norris set the best time in 1’24”844.

Those eliminated in Q2: Bottas, Verstappen, Perez, Sainz, Gasly

Q3 – Norris the fastest, the VCARBs in the match

Qualified for the last part of qualifying, Esteban Ocon is the first on track, equipped with intermediate tires, like all of the ten remaining drivers. The Frenchman sets the first time of this Q3 in 1’26”267. He was directly beaten by Piastri, then Norris in 1’25”631. Tsunoda comes between the two McLarens, beaten by Leclerc then Russell. On his second fast lap, Piastri took the best time, before seeing Albon then Norris take control in 1’24”158.

A new red flag was waved a few seconds later after Fernando Alonso went off the track at the exit of turn 12. The Spaniard lost the rear of his car before hitting the wall violently. The Aston Martin driver is OK. The session resumes for seven minutes.

George Russell is the first to start but shoots straight into turn 4. The Briton stops his lap. It was Norris who made the first attempt in this second part of Q3, but he did not improve his own mark. While Tsunoda leaves the track, but leaves again, Albon does not leave again. The Williams driver crashed his car in the first corner, causing a fifth red flag. This time the session will start again for only three minutes.

Esteban Ocon is the first to leave the pits. He is currently fourth. The Frenchman had a little scare in the first corner but recovered well. At the same time, Norris improved his first sector. The Alpine driver improves his time but remains in fourth place, while the McLaren also improves and maintains its first position.

In these last seconds of qualifying, the VCARB placed themselves in second and third place. Esteban Ocon came between the two, before seeing Russell take second place. Leclerc will only start sixth and Piastri eighth. Norris can make a huge splash this afternoon.

São Paulo Grand Prix – Qualifications

Q1

Q2

Q3