Lando Norris on pole for Brazilian Grand Prix after chaotic qualifying session
The Briton’s bid to win his maiden world title received a boost in Sao Paulo.
Lando Norris’ bid to win his maiden world championship was dealt a seismic boost in Interlagos after he took a brilliant pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix, with rival Max Verstappen a shock 17th.
Verstappen was eliminated from a chaotic rain-hit qualifying on Sunday morning, carried over a day after Saturday’s running was abandoned due to bad weather.
The triple world champion had been on course to improve his time in the wet conditions but Lance Stroll’s crash resulted in the third of an astonishing five red flags, and Q2 did not resume.
It left a furious Verstappen in 12th and, with the Dutchman to serve a five-place engine penalty, he will be way down the order for the 71-lap race later on Sunday.
“The car hits the wall, and it needs to be a straight red,” said Verstappen. “I don’t understand why it needs to take 30 to 40 seconds for a red flag to come out. It’s just b***s***. It’s so stupid anyway to talk about. It’s ridiculous.”
Verstappen was seen gesticulating wildly with his left hand from inside his cockpit after he was told the running had been suspended. His father, Jos, banged his fist on a table at the back of the Red Bull garage, while the Dutch driver’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase was left with his head in his hands on the team’s pit wall.
