Norris on pole in rain-hit Brazil for third year in a row

Sao Paulo witnessed a rain-hit Formula One Grand Prix, with Lando Norris claiming pole position for the third year consecutively. The race took place at Interlagos after a long delay due to torrential rain, causing a halt in qualifying for nearly an hour and a half. George Russell, driving for Mercedes, qualified second fastest but dropped down the grid due to a five-place penalty, with his world champion teammate Kimi Antonelli taking his place.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth fastest but had to start fifth due to power unit changes, with Racing Bull's Liam Lawson starting third and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg fourth. The final phase of qualifying saw no cars on track as the rain intensified. Norris expressed his satisfaction with the result, stating that it didn't matter how he achieved pole position.

Antonelli also mentioned his challenging experience with the wet conditions. Russell, however, was furious after aborting a lap, expressing his desire to start at pole despite the penalty. The Brazilian track has been the site of memorable moments in recent years, including Max Verstappen's victory in 2024 and Kevin Magnussen's surprise pole position in 2022.