Lando Norris mastered a rain-soaked, delay-hit qualifying in Brazil to take pole, while Max Verstappen's technical trouble sent him to the back.
Lando Norris will start the São Paulo Grand Prix from pole position after a chaotic, rain-disrupted qualifying session in Brazil. The McLaren driver kept his composure while the weather turned the afternoon into a test of patience and nerve.
George Russell was second fastest on the road, but a five-place grid penalty means he will not line up on the front row. That promotes the drivers behind him and leaves the opening laps of the race wide open. Kimi Antonelli had also been tipped as a pole contender in the damp conditions, which made this a tense fight at the top.
The biggest shock came at the other end of the order. Max Verstappen is set to start from the back of the grid after technical problems hampered his qualifying. A driver of his calibre will have a long road through the field, and a wet or changeable race could help him a lot.
Delays stretched the session to around two and a half hours, as the rain repeatedly disrupted the schedule. For Norris and his upgraded McLaren, the wait paid off. With Russell's penalty and Verstappen's struggles reshaping the grid, Brazil looks set for a race full of drama.
