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Norris on pole in rain-hit Brazil for third year in a row
Norris beat George Russell by 0.204 seconds after a session delayed more than an hour by torrential rain and standing water.
On Saturday, November 7, 2026, McLaren driver Lando Norris secured pole position for the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos. He bested Mercedes driver George Russell during the final, condensed qualifying shootout.
Torrential rain triggered an 84-minute suspension at the circuit. "Already aquaplaning," newly-crowned F1 world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli reported as the downpour created treacherous standing water, forcing a frantic, condensed shootout for all Formula 1 drivers.
FIA stewards confirmed multiple drivers face back-of-the-grid starts for exceeding power unit allocations. Penalties apply to Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, while Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc received a 10-place grid drop.
Penalties significantly reshuffled the starting order, which elevates drivers like Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls to the front rows for Sunday's race. These changes were confirmed by official classification and timing data.
The circuit will host the event until 2035 after F1 president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali announced a contract extension on Saturday. This ensures a long-term future on the calendar.
There's nothing going on in Interlagos for more than 80 minutes. Lando Norris proved to be a rain champion at the end of the previous year's championship.
In Brazil, Kimi takes advantage of Russell's penalty. Leclerc (14°) and Hamilton (20°) are also back on the grid for replacements of components in power units.