qualifying in Brazil: Norris pole, Leclerc sixth, Verstappen only 17th” data-tb-thumbnail=”” width=”1200″ height=”799″ fetchpriority=”high” class=”op_7_7_4_4″/>
The weather that forced the organizers to revolutionize the Brazilian GP calendar makes qualifying extremely complicated for everyone. The winner is Lando Norriswho in a session full of accidents, managed to bring home the pole position. Chiaroscuro qualifying for the Ferraris: if Leclerc finishes only sixth, Sainz ends up in the barriers during Q2, slipping to 12tha position. Furious Verstappen when yet another accident prevents him from completing his fastest lap: the world champion, after being penalized by five positions, will start in 17a position. The various teams will have little time to repair the damage: given the complicated weather, the start of the race was brought forward at 4.30 pm Italian time. We will definitely see some good ones.
Q1, Hamilton immediately eliminated
The earliest qualifying in the history of Formula 1 kicks off with the various teams crossing their fingers while looking at the sky. The forecast calls for constant rain throughout the day but the risk is that aquaplaning could cause problems for the cars on the track. Everyone enters the track immediately for Q1, fearing a further deterioration: we race with the single-seaters that have enough fuel for the entire session, with the drivers who will continue to try to improve their performances. In doing so they will have to keep an eye on tire wear, given that each team only has two sets of tires at its disposal full wet for qualifications and the race. After a spin from Lawson, Norris set a fast lap before also spinning out, a 1:31.608 which is 22 seconds slower than the time recorded on the dry track. Halfway through Q1, the McLaren driver reports aquaplaning but it is only the prelude to the first red flag: Franco Colapinto crashes into the barriers in turn 3 and the stoppage of the session could cost several drivers dearly.
The Mercedes garage was particularly worried given that, when they started running again on an increasingly slippery track, Russell and Hamilton were 18th and 20th respectively. The situation of the two Ferraris is equally problematic, with Sainz only tenth but Verstappen not laughing either, seeing as he falls from fifth to eleventh position when the stewards cancel his fastest lap for track limits. In the end, everything was decided at the last second of Q1, with Norris himself risking sensational immediate elimination. The situation is revolutionized by the final fast laps, which see Verstappen climb back up to provisional pole ahead of Albon: Norris saves by just 2 tenths after a forgettable first sector, displacing Hamilton, who will therefore have to start from sixteenth position. The times of the two Ferrari drivers were not very reassuring, with Leclerc 7th and Sainz 11th but they will have time to improve.
Q2, Sainz out, Verstappen solo 17°
The capricious Brazilian weather decides to provide a respite but, with the track still very wet, maximum caution will be needed to avoid accidents. The first to risk the intermediates is Piastri, while the two Ferrari drivers do at least one lap on wet tyres, before the two Red Bulls take to the track and take the lead, with Verstappen ahead of Perez. McLaren’s gamble seems to pay off, with the Australian setting very fast times in the first sector, which pushes Ferrari to bring out their cars with intermediates. The situation on the track, however, is always on the edge, so much so that, within a couple of minutes, both Russell and Sainz spin: if the Englishman starts again, the Spaniard ends up on the barriers, destroying the rear wing of his SF -24. Red flag and new delay in qualifying: Sainz is fine but the damage to his car seems quite serious, with the right rear driveshaft needing to be replaced. With the race starting in a few hours, at 4.30pm Italian time, the Reds’ mechanics will have to perform a miracle.
In view of the restart, Leclerc is certainly not calm in ninth position and decides to mount a new set of intermediates to move up the rankings: the situation of Norris, currently the first of those excluded, is equally thorny. The Englishman is the first to return to the track when the session resumes, followed closely by the Monegasque: Norris sets a 1:24.044 which vaults him into first position, with Alonso having found the right setup and is on the front row. Stroll’s spin in the Senna S ruins everything for Verstappen: the yellow flag prevents the world champion from improving his time, causing him to finish in 12th position. The disqualification for the replacement of the internal combustion engine will cause him to fall five positions behind: the world champion is furious in the garage, given that he risks losing several points to Norris. Leclerc puts in a good lap and finishes sixth while Sainz slips down: the Spaniard will therefore start from 13a position.
Q3, never so many red flags
After the sensational elimination of the world champion, all the drivers take to the track determined to do their utmost to bring home pole position. With tension running high, Norris and Leclerc set the fastest laps but there are many drivers hoping for a historic result, starting with Piastri, who has never started from pole position. The McLaren driver flies around the track and reduces his time by about a second before a mistake costs Fernando Alonso dearly, who up until now was doing very well. The Aston Martin of the Asturian turns before the Juncao and the single-seater hits both the rear and the front heavily: no consequences for the former world champion but the damage to the car seems very serious. With still seven minutes available, Leclerc hopes to be able to move up the rankings: after the fast times of Piastri and Ocon, the Monegasque has slipped to sixth position but the situation remains extremely fluid.
As soon as we get back on track, no one manages to put in fast laps, as Albon’s Williams also ends up in the barriers after a spin: a new red flag, as the Thai’s car is practically destroyed. New break but there is very little time to improve: the riders will perhaps only have one attempt to move up the grid. Given the many accidents, qualifying resumes with only seven cars on track and just over three minutes to find the right lap. With grip at its lowest, the drivers are forced to make many corrections, which reflects on the times: Norris exaggerates, goes straight but manages to avoid damage to his McLaren while Leclerc struggles a lot to improve.
On the next lap, the Englishman improves his time again but the grid is continually revolutionized: the Ferrari driver doesn’t improve while Russell climbs up to second place. The surprises come from Tsunoda and Lawson, who finish in third and fifth position but anything could happen this afternoon.
