Lando Norris got F1 sprint pole in Brazil GP by 0.097s margin on Andrea Kimi Antonelli, with Oscar Piastri in third.
SQ1:
The first part in F1 Brazil GP sprint qualifying at Interlagos saw a close fight to make it to SQ2 on the medium tyre. The Top 16 was covered within a second of McLaren’s Lando Norris’ (1m19.627s) time, who ended up on top from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
His teammate Lance Stroll’s late push dropped Alpine’s Franco Colapinto (1m10.441s) to 16th, first to be knocked out, with Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli just making in. He led Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson (1m10.666s), with Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda (1m10.692s) only 18th.
The Japanese driver had an incident in FP1, but got clean laps in qualifying. Haas’ Esteban Ocon (1m10.872s) was 19th from Williams’ Carlos Sainz (1m11.120s), as replays showed lock-up early on. He noted on the radio about worst execution as he was released in traffic for his second flying lap.
SQ2:
The second part in F1 Brazil sprint qualifying saw drivers continued on the mandated medium tyres, as Alonso set the pace after his early 1m09.330s lap from Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell in the Top 3. The Brit was one of the few, who managed to improve on the second run.
The Top 16 was covered by 0.616s margin from P1 to P16. It was not a good session for Ferrari pair after lock-ups for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton on their first attempt at Turn 10. It was same for Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar on his second attempt, but he made it through.
Leclerc’s second lock-up at Turn 10 cost him and teammate Hamilton. The Monegasque spun at the exit, which hurt the Brit, who was behind him on a fast lap. He was knocked out after ending up 11th after a 1m09.811s lap, with Williams’ Alexander Albon (1m09.813s) in 12th.
A good run from Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (1m09.852s) ended in 13th from Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto (1m09.923s), who was one of the few to improve on the second run. Haas’ Oliver Bearman rounded out the 15 runners after his 1m09.946s lap.
SQ3:
The final part in F1 Brazil GP sprint qualifying saw mandated run on the soft compound as Norris led the way with a 1m09.271s lap ahead of Mercedes pair of Antonelli (1m09.340s) and Russell (1m09.556s) in the Top 3, as Piastri’s Turn 1 mistake cost him to be only fourth.
Only five drivers ran early on double run, while the other five did one lap attack. Norris upped his pace further with a 1m09.243s lap to secure F1 sprint pole in Brazil GP, finishing 0.097s quicker than Antonelli, who couldn’t improve after small mistake but was good enough for second.
Piastri improved to third after his 1m09.428s lap, with Russell (1m09.495s) in fourth from Alonso (1m09.496s) – only 0.001s separating the two in the Top 5. Verstappen’s pace dropped massively from SQ1 to SQ2 to SQ3, as he only managed sixth in the end after his 1m09.580s lap.
Stroll (1m09.671s) was seventh from Leclerc (1m09.725s), Hadjar (1m09.775s) ninth and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg (1m09.935s) rounding the Top 10, with everyone from P1 to P10 covered within 0.692s margin.
Here’s how FP1 panned out in F1 Brazil GP: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/fp1-norris-edges-out-team-mate-and-title-rival-piastri-in-sole-sao-paulo.7hp9GOnaLdryLEkUPIKUM2
