Norris Seizes Brazil GP Pole as Verstappen Suffers Shocking Q1 Exit

Norris Dominates Dramatic Saturday in Sao Paulo

Lando Norris has positioned himself perfectly in the hunt for his maiden Formula 1 world championship after a dream Saturday at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The McLaren driver first won the sprint race and then secured a stunning pole position for Sunday's main event, dramatically extending his lead in the title fight.

Qualifying Drama Unfolds at Interlagos

The qualifying session was a rollercoaster for the championship contenders. Norris initially found himself on the backfoot after locking up on his first Q3 attempt, leaving him a concerning 10th on the timesheets and over six-tenths down. However, under immense pressure, the British driver delivered a flawless final lap to soar to the top, finishing 0.174 seconds clear of Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.

His primary title rival and teammate, Oscar Piastri, could only manage fourth on the grid, ending the session more than three-tenths of a second adrift. Piastri's difficult day was compounded by his earlier crash in the sprint race, from which he failed to score any points.

Verstappen's Championship Hopes Take a Massive Hit

The most shocking moment of the day belonged to Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver, who started the weekend 39 points behind Norris, suffered a catastrophic qualifying. He was unceremoniously knocked out in Q1 and will start Sunday's 71-lap race from a dismal 16th position.

This marked Verstappen's first Q1 exit in over four years. Over the team radio, a frustrated Verstappen reported, "I have no grip, zero," later adding a sarcastic "Brilliant." His father, Jos, was seen leaving the Red Bull garage abruptly following the session. The result leaves Verstappen's championship challenge on the brink, with the potential to fall more than 50 points behind with just four races remaining.

Other notable performances included Charles Leclerc qualifying third for Ferrari, while his future teammate Lewis Hamilton laboured to a disappointing 13th place after a mistake in Q2 that saw the seven-time champion clench his fists in anger.

TOP-10 - BRAZIL GP QUALIFYING