Sprint Qualifying Report - Piastri snatches Brazilian Sprint Pole

Oscar Piastri
© McLaren

Oscar Piastri took a last-minute pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint race, narrowly beating his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, in a nail-biting finish.

Norris, who had dominated the early stages of sprint qualifying at Interlagos, was expected to seal pole, but Piastri’s final lap—a brilliant 1:08.899—edged him out by just 0.029 seconds. Norris, plagued by mistakes on his last attempt, was forced to abandon his final lap, allowing Piastri to grab the spotlight.

Piastri’s pole represents a huge morale boost for McLaren, which has enjoyed a resurgence in recent months. The McLaren drivers have increasingly shown their potential, frequently challenging the frontrunners and becoming a dominant force in qualifying. Piastri’s unexpected pole is yet another sign of the team’s progress and a testament to his rapid adaptation to F1’s high-pressure environment.

Norris, visibly frustrated, had reason to be disappointed. He looked in commanding form throughout the qualifying rounds, outpacing Piastri by eight-tenths in SQ1 and clocking the fastest time in SQ2. He seemed on course to claim the top spot in SQ3 until minor errors on his final lap compromised his time. “I made too many mistakes,” Norris admitted post-qualifying, reflecting on his uncharacteristic missteps. His frustration was palpable, as his dominance through much of the session had left him confident of securing pole. Still, he acknowledged Piastri’s effort, congratulating his teammate for a well-executed lap.

Behind the McLarens, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed third place, marking a solid result for the team. Leclerc was just a couple of tenths behind Norris, highlighting the McLarens’ impressive speed on the Brazilian circuit. Max Verstappen, the current championship leader and a familiar presence at the front of the grid, struggled to keep up with McLaren’s pace in his RB20. Verstappen finished fourth, splitting the two Ferraris as Carlos Sainz slotted into fifth. However, Verstappen’s main focus remains securing his championship lead, and the sprint result may offer him an opportunity to make strategic moves during the race.

Carlos Sainz followed his Ferrari teammate in fifth, delivering a solid performance but unable to close the gap to Leclerc. Meanwhile, George Russell managed to place his Mercedes in sixth, making him the only Mercedes driver to reach SQ3. Russell’s lap demonstrated the car’s potential despite Mercedes’ ongoing struggles to consistently compete with the front-runners. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, faced a tougher session, as he was eliminated in SQ2, finishing in an unexpected 11th place.

Pierre Gasly once again showcased his one-lap prowess, finishing seventh for Alpine. Gasly’s impressive form in qualifying has been a highlight for Alpine, showing that the team is capable of delivering strong results even in a competitive mid-field. Liam Lawson, continuing his impressive run for Red Bull, took a respectable eighth place, further strengthening his case for a permanent seat in Formula 1. Lawson’s performance, particularly against some more experienced drivers, has drawn attention and bolstered his reputation as a rising star in the sport.

In ninth place was Alex Albon, leading the charge for Williams. The British-Thai driver has been one of Williams’ standout performers this season, regularly extracting the maximum potential from his car. His presence in the top ten reinforces Williams’ steady upward trajectory in recent months.

Ollie Bearman, filling in for an unwell Kevin Magnussen at Haas, rounded out the top ten. The young driver impressed on Friday, showing considerable promise and adapting quickly to the demands of F1. Bearman’s final lap in SQ3, however, was marred by a mistake in which he picked up the throttle too early out of Turn 2. That error, along with a track limits violation, resulted in his lap time being deleted. Nonetheless, Bearman’s pace, especially compared to teammate Nico Hulkenberg, who did not make it to SQ3, underlined his potential and gave Haas a glimmer of hope for next season.

Sergio Perez’s struggles continued in Brazil, adding another layer to what has been a challenging season for the Mexican driver. With his future at Red Bull reportedly in doubt, this weekend was seen as a critical one for Perez. Red Bull even provided him with a different chassis for sprint qualifying in hopes of revitalizing his performance. Initially, the move appeared promising, with Perez outpacing Verstappen in SQ1. However, an unfortunate sequence of events in SQ2 led to his elimination in 13th place. Perez’s failure to start his final lap in time left him without a chance to improve his position, marking the lowest sprint race qualifying for a Red Bull car this season.

Hamilton’s early exit in SQ2 was another unexpected development. The seven-time world champion has generally been resilient in qualifying, but he was unable to match Russell’s pace and finished in 11th. His elimination surprised many, particularly given Mercedes’ potential on circuits with high-speed corners. Alongside Hamilton and Perez, other SQ2 casualties included Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto in the second Williams, and Valtteri Bottas in the Sauber. Bottas’s advancement out of SQ1 was a rare success for Sauber, which has struggled to keep pace with the rest of the field throughout the season.

Aston Martin’s disappointing run continued in Brazil, as neither of their cars made it past SQ1. Fernando Alonso, despite his extensive experience and skill, could not manage to overcome the limitations of the Aston Martin, finishing in 16th place. His teammate, Lance Stroll, also failed to progress, marking another low point in a difficult season for Aston Martin. Former teammate Esteban Ocon also found himself out in SQ1, as did Yuki Tsunoda in the RB, and Zhou Guanyu, who was notably slower than his Sauber teammate Bottas.