McLaren driver Lando Norris earned pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Saturday. Final qualifying positions were heavily influenced by power unit changes that sent drivers toward the back of the grid.
Norris won qualifying by 0.204 seconds. This was his first pole position since September at the Madrid Grand Prix and his third consecutive pole at the Interlagos track.
George Russell and Charles Leclerc had initially qualified second and fourth respectively, but both faced penalties. Russell received a five-place grid penalty for adding fresh engine components to his Mercedes car, while Leclerc was also penalised.
As a result, new Formula 1 champion Kimi Antonelli will start from second place for Mercedes. Racing Bull driver Liam Lawson will move up to start third on the grid.
Norris spoke about the challenging conditions during the session on Saturday. Changing tyres throughout the event proved difficult due to the weather.
You feel you want to push so much more, but you cannot, Norris told reporters.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were among the other drivers facing penalties before Sunday’s race after changing their power units above the season limit. Verstappen received a 30-place cumulative penalty for a total power unit change, finishing qualifying in 16th place.
The two Ferrari drivers initially received 10-place grid penalties after exceeding their season allocations by taking fresh internal combustion engines. Hamilton later changed more parts of his power unit, pushing him even further back on the grid.
Cadillac driver Sergio Perez will also start from the back of the grid after his car was equipped with new elements.
Starting from the back at Interlagos does not mean a lost race for top drivers. Hamilton completed a charge from the back in 2021, and Verstappen secured a victory from 17th place in 2024.
Earlier on Saturday, Verstappen clocked the fastest lap in the final practice session ahead of Antonelli. The Red Bull driver led the Italian by 0.025 of a second, while Hamilton ended the session in 12th position, more than one second behind Verstappen.
