Did Norris Secure Pole Position in Sao Paulo Sprint Qualifying?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Lando Norris secures pole position with a stunning lap.
- Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri closely follow in second and third.
- Strong performances from Aston Martin and Mercedes.
- Lewis Hamilton faces scrutiny after a yellow flag incident.
- Qualifying saw several surprising eliminations.
Sao Paulo, Nov 8 (NationPress) Lando Norris delivered a remarkable performance to claim pole position during the Sprint Qualifying at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The British driver outpaced Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and his fellow McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, securing the top spot.
After establishing a solid benchmark with his initial lap in SQ3, Norris achieved an even faster time of 1m 09.243s with his final attempt, a record that his competitors couldn't surpass. Antonelli was the nearest contender, finishing just 0.097s behind as he took the second position on the front row.
While Piastri demonstrated good speed on Friday, he ultimately finished in third place, with George Russell contributing to a strong showing for Mercedes in fourth. Aston Martin also had a commendable performance at Interlagos, with Fernando Alonso finishing fifth, while Lance Stroll secured seventh.
In sixth place was Max Verstappen, visibly disappointed after his run. Charles Leclerc completed the top eight for Ferrari, followed by Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls and Nico Hulkenberg of Kick Sauber rounding out the top 10.
Lewis Hamilton fell short of SQ3, finishing in P11 during SQ2. The seven-time world champion faces scrutiny after a yellow flag incident due to teammate Leclerc's spin.
Also eliminated were Alex Albon from Williams, Pierre Gasly of Alpine, Gabriel Bortoleto from Kick Sauber, and Ollie Bearman in the Haas.
After receiving confirmation to stay with Alpine until 2026, Franco Colapinto finished in P16, just ahead of Liam Lawson from Racing Bulls, while Yuki Tsunoda ended SQ1 in P18 for Red Bull.
Esteban Ocon from Haas finished in 19th, while Carlos Sainz ended up at the bottom in 20th place after a lock-up on his final lap.