2026 Sao Paulo GP: Norris pole, penalties reported

Lando Norris took reported pole for the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix after a rain-hit session, with Hamilton, Leclerc, Verstappen and Russell facing grid drops.

Lando Norris took reported pole for the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix in wet qualifying at Interlagos, with Motorsport.com reporting that he beat George Russell by 0.204s. BBC Sport said Norris called it some of the wettest conditions he had driven in, while Autosport and Motorsport.com reported a delay of more than an hour after heavy rain and standing water interrupted the session.

The starting order remained provisional amid reported engine penalties. BBC Sport and Autosport reported that Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen were set for grid drops, with Hamilton and Verstappen due to start from the back, while Autosport also reported a five-place penalty for Russell. Motorsport.com reported that Russell’s penalty moved Kimi Antonelli up the order on the provisional grid, with Liam Lawson also set to start near the front.

The reported changes added context to a tight championship picture before Sunday’s race. Verstappen arrived in Sao Paulo second in the drivers' championship on 279 points, Russell was third on 262, Hamilton fourth on 261, Leclerc fifth on 249 and Norris sixth on 246. Norris, who was chasing his 17th career pole, already had 11 wins and 16 poles in Formula 1 before this session.