Lando Norris took another crucial pole on a huge day in F1’s title race as Max Verstappen only qualified 16th for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who won the Sprint earlier on Saturday while his closest championship rival Oscar Piastri crashed out, overcame a poor first run in Q3 to make it back-to-back poles at a critical stage of the season as Piastri was bumped down to fourth.
The British driver has an opportunity to increase his nine-point lead over Piastri and his 39-point advantage over Verstappen, who was eliminated in Q1 on pure pace for the first time in his 10-year F1 career
Red Bull made changes to the set-up of Verstappen’s car after he found himself in no man’s land in the Sprint on his way to fourth, but it did not pay off and the reigning world champion will need a repeat of his spectacular comeback win at Interlagos from 12 months ago to stay in title contention.
It means Norris is now firm favourite, particularly if he can convert his sixth pole of the season into victory when the lights go out on Sunday at 5pm (build-up from 3.30pm), live on Sky Sports F1.
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Lando Norris qualifies on pole and Antonelli P2 as Sprint front row is repeated for the Sao Paulo GP
Like the Sprint, Kimi Antonelli will start on the front row alongside Norris as he became the third youngest driver to start in the top two on the grid.
Charles Leclerc was third but his Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q2, so will start 13th as his dismal season continued.
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Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton is eliminated from Q2 at the Sao Paulo GP
Racing Bulls impressed as Isack Hadjar qualified fifth and Liam Lawson in seventh, with George Russell splitting the duo in sixth.
Haas’ Oliver Bearman looked like a pole contender at one point but had a difficult Q3 in eighth as Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top 10.
Yuki Tsunoda also joined Verstappen out in Q1, meaning both Red Bulls were eliminated in the first part of Qualifying for the first time since 2006.
Home hero Gabriel Bortoleto missed Qualifying after a huge crash on the final lap of the Sprint which he walked away from unscathed.
How Norris asserted Brazil dominance
Norris continued his excellent form with a “champion’s lap” according to Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle.
He topped all three segments of Qualifying but gave himself work to do after locking up into Turn 1 on his first Q3 run and was only 10th with Piastri on provisional pole.
McLaren sent Norris out earlier than normal to ensure he avoided any untimely yellow or red flags and he delivered with a clean lap to take pole by 0.174s.
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McLaren CEO Zak Brown says he’d rather lose the Drivers’ Championship to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen than favour one of his drivers
“Just slippery, inconsistent, but good fun. It’s always a pleasure around this track. I felt good,” said Norris.
“I was under a bit of pressure because I locked up on my first lap. So a little bit more pressure than I would have liked but stayed calm and put it all together when it mattered. Very happy.”
Leclerc and Antonelli both improved to bump down Piastri, who was knocked down to fourth and ended up 0.375s behind pole-sitter Norris.
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Oscar Piastri crashes out in the Sao Paulo GP Sprint in a huge moment in the World Championship
Piastri may have been impacted by his dramatic crash in the Sprint to not push the car as hard as Norris but he faces the likelihood of dropping points to his team-mate for a sixth consecutive race.
Antonelli continued to be the quicker of the Mercedes pair on his first Interlagos outing and could be Norris’ biggest rival on Sunday.
“Starting P2 tomorrow, of course they’re very fast, so it’s going to be important to have a good start and try to set a good pace,” said the 19-year-old Italian.
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Highlights of Sprint from the Sao Paulo GP
What went wrong for Verstappen
Verstappen’s remarkable championship comeback may be all but over barring another Brazil miracle as he suffered his seventh Q1 elimination and first ever on outright pace.
After being unable to challenge the McLaren and Mercedes in the Sprint, Red Bull changed Verstappen’s set-up but while it helped over the bumps, it gave him no grip.
When the Dutchman did push, he had big snaps of oversteer, so he was forced to underdrive and the result was being knocked out in Q1 by 0.066s.
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Max Verstappen is eliminated in Q1 at the Sao Paulo GP as father Jos Verstappen storms out of the Red Bull garage
“It was just bad. I couldn’t push at all,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.
“The car was all over the place, sliding around a lot. I had to under-drive it a lot just to not have a moment. That of course doesn’t work in qualifying.”
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Following being knocked out in Q1 at the Sao Paulo GP, a baffled Max Verstappen admits he doesn’t ‘understand how’ his car ‘can be this ‘bad!’
Red Bull brought a floor upgrade to the last race in Mexico, where they also did not show the same competitiveness in the previous races which got Verstappen back into the title hunt.
It is possible Red Bull may choose to change Verstappen’s set-up overnight, which would break parc ferme regulations and mean the Dutchman would start from the pit lane.
Sky Sports F1’s Sao Paulo GP Schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Sunday November 9
3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
5pm: THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX
7pm: Chequered Flag: Sao Paulo GP reaction
8pm: Ted’s Notebook
Formula 1’s thrilling title race continues in Brazil with the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday at 5pm, with build-up from 3.30pm live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
