Norris Secures Pole in Brazil Sprint Qualifying
Formula 1 championship leader Lando Norris put in two strong laps to claim pole position for the sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen managed only sixth place, struggling with balance issues in his RB21 throughout the session.
Top Qualifiers and Session Highlights
- Lando Norris earned his first sprint pole of 2025, extending his excellent form, which recently saw him overtake McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri for the first time since April.
- Oscar Piastri finished third, two tenths behind Norris, while Kimi Antonelli split the McLarens to claim second on the front row driving his Mercedes, despite barely avoiding an early exit after placing 15th in SQ1.
- George Russell secured fourth place, just 0.001 seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso, who had topped SQ2 for Aston Martin.
- Max Verstappen was sixth, expressing frustration over poor car balance all session.
- Lance Stroll delivered Aston Martin’s best qualifying in the second half of the season, finishing seventh.
- Charles Leclerc came eighth on a challenging day for Ferrari, followed by Isack Hadjar and Nico Hulkenberg.
Notable Incidents
Leclerc’s spin late in SQ2 at the Bico de Pato corner impacted several drivers’ chances to advance, including his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton, who failed to progress beyond SQ2.
"Verstappen had to settle for sixth, complaining of poor balance aboard his RB21 all session long."
"Leclerc spinning in the dying stages of SQ2 out of the Bico de Pato right-hander cost others a chance to avoid an SQ2 exit - including his Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton."
Author's summary: Lando Norris continued his strong form by taking sprint pole in Brazil, while Verstappen struggled with balance and others faced setbacks during critical qualifying moments.