Norris Secures Pole for Brazil Sprint Race
Formula 1 championship leader Lando Norris set two fast laps to claim pole position for the sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen managed only sixth place.
Top Qualifying Performances
- Norris achieved his first sprint pole of 2025, building on recent strong form that saw him overtake McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri two weeks ago for the first time since April.
- Piastri finished third, two tenths behind Norris, with Kimi Antonelli splitting the McLarens by securing second on the front row in his Mercedes.
- Antonelli barely avoided an early exit after ending 15th in SQ1.
Other Key Drivers
- George Russell was fourth, just 0.001 seconds faster than Fernando Alonso, who had led SQ2 for Aston Martin.
- Verstappen struggled all session with poor car balance and settled for sixth place.
- Lance Stroll delivered Aston Martin’s strongest qualifying of the season’s second half, placing seventh.
- Charles Leclerc finished eighth despite a challenging Friday for Ferrari.
- Isack Hadjar and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top ten for Racing Bulls and Sauber, respectively.
Incident Affecting Qualifying
"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 teammate Lewis Hamilton."
Summary
Norris continued his impressive performance with sprint pole in Brazil, while Verstappen faced challenges securing a top spot amid tight competition.