Fernando Alonso delivered Aston Martin's best qualifying performance of the 2026 Formula 1 season on 8 November, placing his car ninth in a rain-soaked qualifying session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. It is the first time the two-time world champion has advanced to Q3 this season, and he will line up eighth on the grid after Charles Leclerc drops 10 places from fourth following a fifth Internal Combustion Engine penalty.

Alonso's Reaction to the Session

Alonso was candid about the difficulty of the conditions but clearly buoyed by the result. 'Not fun because the conditions were tricky. The level of focus was quite high today,' he said after the session.

'Unknown conditions for everyone, especially on this year's car. I think we didn't have much practice on the wets. It was all experimental a little bit and the first Q3 of the season feels good,' the Spaniard added.

Aston Martin's Difficult 2026 Campaign

Aston Martin have endured a torrid start to the season under the sweeping new regulations introduced in 2026. Alonso has been the team's sole points-scorer this year, picking up finishes in Monaco, the Netherlands, and Malaysia. A front-of-midfield grid slot on Sunday represents a rare opportunity for the squad to add to their meagre tally.

Alonso, however, was careful to temper expectations. 'It opens a new possibility for us. Obviously, the conditions, let's see if tomorrow is wet all through the race, maybe we have a chance to score points,' he said. 'If not, I think we will go back to our natural position. FP3 in the dry was a little bit disappointing, so we need to remain with our feet on the ground.'

Midfield Movers: Lawson and Hulkenberg Shine

Alonso was not alone in benefiting from the treacherous Interlagos conditions. Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson qualified fifth and will start third after the penalties incurred by George Russell (second in qualifying) and Leclerc shuffle the grid.

Nico Hulkenberg gave Audi their best qualifying result of the season by taking sixth, which translates to a fourth-place grid start. 'Typical, classic Sao Paulo, I guess. You never know when the shower is going to hit you and how hard it is,' Hulkenberg said. 'But very happy obviously after yesterday, good recovery and I guess the rain helped a bit as well to make up for that lack of running yesterday. But I was happy, confident with the car, managed to produce good laps and yeah, feels nice, feels good.'

On Sunday's race prospects, Hulkenberg struck an optimistic but measured tone. 'All to play for obviously, we're starting in a good position; try to race clean and get the maximum out of it tomorrow,' he said.

What to Watch on Race Day

Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix will hinge heavily on whether the rain returns. In dry conditions, the natural order of performance is likely to reassert itself, putting Alonso and Hulkenberg under pressure to hold their grid positions. In a wet race, however, both drivers and their teams have demonstrated on Saturday that they can compete with the front of the midfield — and potentially trouble the top runners. The grid shuffle caused by penalties has opened the door for unexpected points for several teams.