F1 São Paulo GP Qualifying: Norris Grabs Pole as Verstappen Struggles in Rain-Soaked Chaos

Lando Norris secured a vital pole position for the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix in a dramatic qualifying session at Interlagos. The wet conditions played havoc with the session, which was red-flagged five times due to accidents and incidents. While Norris excelled, putting his McLaren Mercedes on pole, championship leader Max Verstappen had a tough day, qualifying in 12th. Worse still, he faces a grid penalty for power unit changes, which will see him start from P17.

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Chaotic Start to Qualifying
Qualifying started in torrential rain, with drivers battling to find grip on the waterlogged track. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was the early pacesetter, but RB’s Yuki Tsunoda soon set the fastest time before the first red flag was waved when Franco Colapinto spun his Williams into the barriers. After a brief pause, the action resumed, and Max Verstappen momentarily climbed to P5, only for his lap time to be deleted for violating yellow flag conditions. He ended Q1 in P12, barely avoiding elimination.

Rain Continues to Wreak Havoc
In Q2, Verstappen initially looked strong, outpacing his Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez. However, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri made a bold move to intermediate tires, taking P1 with a time of 1:25.179, almost a second faster than Verstappen. The changing conditions caused confusion, and a spin from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz brought out another red flag, eliminating Verstappen’s chance to improve. Verstappen ended Q2 in P12, while teammate Pérez followed in P13, both failing to advance to the final segment.

Norris Dominates Q3 Amid Final Red Flags
Q3 began with Lando Norris seizing the moment. The Briton set a blistering lap of 1:23.406 to claim pole, half a second ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell. Tsunoda impressed, securing third place for RB Honda, while Esteban Ocon placed fourth for Alpine. The session was marred by more incidents, including crashes from Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon, bringing out further red flags. Ultimately, Norris’ time remained unbeaten, giving him a crucial advantage heading into the race.

Verstappen’s Tough Road Ahead
With a grid penalty dropping him from P12 to P17, Verstappen faces an uphill battle in the race. Despite the setback, his incredible form this season means he cannot be counted out. Norris, meanwhile, will be aiming to capitalize on his pole to secure a much-needed win as he continues to battle Verstappen for the title.

Full Drivers’ Qualifying Results

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