In a surprising turn of events, Lando Norris clinched pole position for the sprint race at Sao Paulo, despite a first sector that was over two-tenths slower than the best efforts from the Red Bulls. McLaren strategized to put both cars onto the track first in the SQ3 session, with Oscar Piastri setting the opening benchmark time of 1m11.189s. However, it was Norris who stole the show with an impressive lap time that left his competitors in the shade. Although Norris himself felt that his lap was not particularly special, it proved to be enough to secure the coveted pole position.
As Norris anxiously waited, the Red Bulls and Mercedes showcased their strength in the opening sector of the track. Max Verstappen seemed poised to overtake Norris, as he was ahead on the split times by the end of the second sector. However, Verstappen was unable to maintain his pace and fell behind the McLaren driver. Sergio Perez, meanwhile, set the best opening split time but ultimately settled for third place on the sprint grid, just behind Verstappen.
Despite allegations of not following the stewards’ instructions on maximum lap time, Norris emerged as the pole sitter. His performance was further highlighted by George Russell, who briefly matched Norris’ middle sector time but ultimately lost four-tenths in the final part of his lap. Yuki Tsunoda also impressed with a sixth-place finish, while Charles Leclerc failed to deliver anything better than seventh. The top 10 was completed by Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz, and Oscar Piastri.
Both Mercedes and McLaren found themselves at risk of elimination in the previous session but managed to salvage their positions in a dramatic turn of events. The two teams delivered impressive final laps, pushing their way into the top 10 at the expense of both Haas cars. Kevin Magnussen secured 11th place on the sprint grid, narrowly beating out Nico Hulkenberg by 0.025s. Valtteri Bottas and Pierre Gasly, who had decided to wait until the end to post their laps, were shuffled down to 13th and 14th respectively.
Early End to Sprint Qualifying Stage at Curva do Sol
The opening sprint qualifying stage came to an abrupt end when Esteban Ocon collided with his teammate Fernando Alonso at Curva do Sol. Ocon started his final lap but lost control, crashing into a slow-moving Alonso who had moved off the racing line to give Ocon room to pass. The impact resulted in significant damage to Alonso’s car, preventing him from continuing, while Ocon found himself eliminated from the session. The incident prompted a red flag, leaving Lance Stroll stranded in 17th place on the sprint grid.
Several other drivers faced disappointment during the session. Zhou Guanyu was eliminated at the first stage, while Alex Albon’s attempt to improve his position was thwarted by the early conclusion of the session. Logan Sargeant finished last among the runners, with frustrations stemming from being impeded by a Haas during his second attempt.
Lando Norris’s pole position at Sao Paulo’s sprints came as a surprise to many, especially considering his slower first sector compared to his competitors. With impressive performances from Red Bull and Mercedes, Norris defied expectations to claim the top spot on the sprint grid. The early end to the session due to a collision between Ocon and Alonso added further drama to the qualifying session. As the stage is set for the sprint race, fans eagerly anticipate the on-track battles that lie ahead.
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