F1 São Paulo GP 2026: Norris on pole in the rain, Antonelli on the front row

Lando Norris takes pole in the São Paulo Grand Prix after qualifying marked by rain and more than an hour's delay to the scheduled time. At Interlagos the McLaren driver goes fastest with 1:27.470 and records a third consecutive pole position at the Brazilian circuit.

The decisive lap comes in the final phase of Q3, when the weather opens a brief window of opportunity before the water returns to fall more heavily. The track changes character quickly, but Norris manages to find the right moment and leave George Russell and Kimi Antonelli behind him.

The starting grid, however, does not remain the one captured at the end of the session. Russell has to serve a five-place penalty, Charles Leclerc loses 10 places and Lewis Hamilton will start from the back together with Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. For this reason, on paper, Antonelli inherits the front row alongside Norris.

Sand in the qualifying engine

Saturday in São Paulo also delivers a series of strong results among the front runners. Nico Hülkenberg finishes sixth, Isack Hadjar is seventh, while Ollie Bearman, Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon complete the top 10 in a qualifying session that rewards those who best read the changing wet track conditions.

The first part of the session eliminates Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly, while Lance Stroll stays behind them. In Q1 Norris leads the group with 1:30.939s, and the list of those knocked out also includes Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez and Gabriel Bortoleto, who ended up against the barriers.