Lando Norris delivered when it mattered, taking Sprint pole at Interlagos with a 1:09.243 to edge Kimi Antonelli by just 0.097s, with Oscar Piastri completing the top three. It was another dominant showing for McLaren, who locked out P1 and P3, while Mercedes impressed with both cars in the top four.
Behind them, Fernando Alonso took fifth for Aston Martin and Max Verstappen finished sixth after a frustrated final run. Lance Stroll followed in seventh, ahead of Charles Leclerc, Isack Hadjar, and Nico Hülkenberg completing the top ten.
Norris: “It was a little bit tougher than I’d have liked, close between lots of cars, but we did the job we needed to do. Qualifying here is tricky, but it’s fun. It always puts a smile on your face.”
How sprint qualifying unfolded
The battle for Sprint pole came down to the final moments of SQ3. Antonelli set an early benchmark with a 1:09.340, but Norris found extra pace on his last lap to take top spot. Piastri was unable to improve and settled for third, while George Russell held fourth to round off a strong session for Mercedes.
SQ2 brought the biggest surprise of the day. Lewis Hamilton missed out on a place in SQ3, finishing 11th, and faces a post-session investigation for a yellow flag infringement following Leclerc’s spin at Turn 10. Also eliminated were Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Ollie Bearman. Alonso topped that session ahead of Norris and Piastri, with conditions remaining stable.
In SQ1, Franco Colapinto was the first driver to miss the cut, finishing 16th on the day Alpine confirmed his 2026 contract. Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, and Carlos Sainz also dropped out, the Spaniard locking up on his final lap. Early pace confirmed McLaren’s advantage, while Verstappen continued to struggle with balance in his RB21.
What it means for the sprint
Norris starts from pole, perfectly placed to extend his championship lead. Piastri lines up directly behind, while Antonelli sits between the two McLarens with nothing to lose. Verstappen, only sixth, cannot afford to let the papaya pair escape if he wants to stay in contention.
Hamilton’s investigation could shuffle the Sprint grid further, and bad weather is expected around race time, with rain and high winds forecast for Saturday morning.
With Norris and Piastri leading the charge and Antonelli continuing to impress, the Sprint promises to deliver another exciting chapter in the 2025 title fight.
