Hamilton uses Brazil qualifying as test run ahead of P20 grid start
Synopsis
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will both start Sunday's São Paulo Grand Prix from the very back of the grid — Hamilton from P20, Verstappen from P21 — after separate power unit penalties. Hamilton admitted he used qualifying purely as a test, saving tyres for a wet race where anything can happen. Lando Norris takes pole for the third straight time at this circuit.
Key Takeaways
Lewis Hamilton will start the São Paulo Grand Prix from P20 after a full power unit change, having qualified P11 .
Max Verstappen starts P21 , also due to a power unit penalty, one place behind Hamilton.
Hamilton confirmed he used the rain-hit qualifying session as a test, conserving tyres for Sunday's potentially wet race.
Verstappen won from P17 at the same circuit in 2024 , fuelling speculation about another comeback charge.
Lando Norris takes pole for the third consecutive time at São Paulo; George Russell drops from P2 to P7 due to a penalty.
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has revealed he treated Saturday's qualifying session at the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix as a test run rather than a competitive effort, after a full power unit change relegated him to a P20 grid start for Sunday's race. Hamilton had clocked P11 in qualifying but will line up at the back of the grid alongside Max Verstappen, who starts P21 following his own power unit penalty.
Hamilton on the Rain and His Revised Goals
Qualifying in São Paulo was disrupted by heavy rain, adding to the drama of an already unusual session for the seven-time world champion. Hamilton was candid about his priorities, noting that conserving tyres for a potentially wet Sunday race was at the front of his mind.
'It was a lot of fun out there. It's always fun in the rain. It's very, very tricky, but I had just a lot of fun, just in the few laps that we got,' Hamilton said after qualifying.
'I wish I was still out there battling with the guys, but unfortunately, saving the tyres for tomorrow.'
When asked whether a charge through the field from P20 was realistic, Hamilton was cautiously optimistic. 'That's what we're trying to do, yeah. It's going to be really tricky conditions, but I love racing in the rain. I was basically using the qualifying session as a test in making sure the engine is working and making sure that the car felt good, so I feel good for tomorrow,' he explained.
Verstappen Also Embraces Back-of-Grid Reality
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was similarly philosophical about his own grid penalty, suggesting São Paulo may have been a calculated choice for absorbing the hit. 'I know that I have to start from the back, so we don't want to take too much risk and just put a lap on the board in Q1. And yeah, that's what we did,' Verstappen said.
'We saw an issue, and we decided to take the penalty here. Maybe it's the best place to take it, but who knows. We'll see tomorrow how far we can move up to the front. Try and have a bit of fun out there,' he added. The remark carries historical weight — Verstappen famously stormed from P17 to victory at the same circuit in 2024, making a charge from the rear anything but implausible.
Front of the Grid: Norris on Pole, Russell Drops
Lando Norris claimed pole position at São Paulo for the third consecutive time, underlining his exceptional form at the Brazilian circuit. Kimi Antonelli will start alongside him in P2, while George Russell — originally classified P2 in qualifying — drops to P7 as a result of his own penalty.
What to Expect on Race Day
With two of Formula 1's most high-profile drivers starting from the back and wet conditions expected to persist, Sunday's São Paulo race sets up as one of the most unpredictable of the season. For Hamilton in his Ferrari debut campaign, any significant points haul from deep in the field would represent a morale-boosting result. The strategic and weather variables make the race outcome genuinely difficult to predict.
Point of View
Which either produces a spectacular race or a chaotic one. What Sunday will actually test is whether Ferrari's race-day pace is genuinely competitive — or whether the qualifying camouflage is hiding a deeper performance gap. Norris's third successive São Paulo pole, meanwhile, is quietly the bigger structural story: McLaren's wet-weather setup appears a class apart at this venue.
NationPress
8 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Lewis Hamilton starting from the back of the grid in São Paulo?
Hamilton will start from P20 at the São Paulo Grand Prix due to a full power unit change on his Ferrari, which triggers an automatic grid penalty under Formula 1 regulations. He had qualified P11 in Saturday's session before the penalty was applied.
What did Hamilton say about his qualifying session in São Paulo?
Hamilton said he used the qualifying session primarily as a test to check that the new engine was working and that the car felt good, rather than pushing for a competitive lap time. He also saved his tyres with an eye on a potentially wet Sunday race.
Where does Max Verstappen start the São Paulo Grand Prix?
Verstappen starts from P21, one place behind Hamilton, after also taking a power unit penalty. He noted the team 'saw an issue' and decided São Paulo was an acceptable venue to absorb the grid drop, referencing his own 2024 victory from P17 at the same circuit.
Who took pole position for the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix?
Lando Norris claimed pole position for the third consecutive time at São Paulo, continuing an impressive run of front-row performance at the Brazilian circuit. Kimi Antonelli will line up alongside him in P2.
How did George Russell's grid position change after qualifying?
George Russell originally qualified P2 but drops to P7 on the starting grid due to his own penalty, reshuffling the front of the field ahead of Sunday's race.
