Norris Secures Pole for Brazil Sprint Qualifying
Formula 1 championship leader Lando Norris secured pole position for the sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix with two strong laps. Max Verstappen managed only sixth place.
Key Qualifying Results
- Norris earned his first sprint pole in 2025, building on recent momentum, including overtaking McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri two weeks earlier for the first time since April.
- Piastri finished third, two-tenths behind Norris, with Kimi Antonelli placing second and splitting the McLaren drivers to put his Mercedes on the front row.
- Antonelli barely avoided elimination by finishing 15th in SQ1.
- George Russell came fourth, edging Fernando Alonso by just 0.001 seconds; Alonso topped SQ2 for Aston Martin.
- Verstappen struggled all session with poor car balance, ending up sixth.
- Lance Stroll secured seventh place, marking his best qualifying in the season's second half.
- Charles Leclerc managed eighth amid a challenging day for Ferrari.
- Isack Hadjar and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top ten for Racing Bulls and Sauber, respectively.
Notable Incidents
Leclerc spinning late in SQ2 at the Bico de Pato corner disrupted other drivers' chances to avoid elimination, including Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Summary
Lando Norris continues his strong 2025 form with pole in Brazil’s sprint qualifying, while Verstappen faces balance issues, and Ferrari struggles through key moments.