James Galloway
Senior Sports activities Journalist
Max Verstappen and Purple Bull beat the climate to get the job finished early in Q3 and seal pole place forward of Charles Leclerc and the Aston Martins; watch Dash Saturday on the Sao Paulo GP stay on Sky Sports activities F1, with the Shootout at 2pm and the Dash itself at 6.30pm
Final Up to date: 03/11/23 7:51pm
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Try the unbelievable scenes from Sao Paulo as a rain storm causes an early end to qualifying on the Sao Paulo GP
Try the unbelievable scenes from Sao Paulo as a rain storm causes an early end to qualifying on the Sao Paulo GP
Max Verstappen beat the arrival on an Interlagos storm to see off what had been a fierce qualifying problem from his rivals to safe pole place for Sunday’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Having appeared set to face a significant struggle for pole from McLaren’s Lando Norris, who topped Q2, specifically, Purple Bull crucially obtained their man out early as ominously darkish clouds gathered over the circuit for the beginning of Q3 and Verstappen delivered on what turned out to be the one flying lap within the closing session to safe an eleventh pole place of his unbelievable title-winning season.
For Norris and McLaren, it was sharp disappointment, because the Briton’s pacesetting type from the second section turned in to simply seventh on the grid for Sunday’s grand prix.
Crew-mate Oscar Piastri spun into the grass on the penultimate nook because the rain fell and he certified tenth.
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Oscar Piastri spins off because the rain begins to fall through the closing qualifying session of the Sao Paulo GP
Oscar Piastri spins off because the rain begins to fall through the closing qualifying session of the Sao Paulo GP
“The automotive was superb,” admitted a dissatisfied Norris. “Simply most likely fast sufficient to be quickest right now and on pole. So fairly gutted for that to finish the best way we did.”
In extraordinary scenes at what was solely simply 4pm native time, Interlagos nearly descended into whole night-time darkness and, as as soon as the rain began to really fall closely, Q3 was red-flagged as drivers headed again to the pits after the primary laps and Race Management opted to not restart it.
Whereas McLaren misplaced out, Aston Martin had been fast on their toes at the beginning of Q3 and profited to take a morale-boosting third and fourth on the grid after a depressing run of latest races for the staff.
Lance Stroll outqualified Fernando Alonso for simply the third time this yr and he’ll begin because the staff’s lead automotive in third place, the Canadian’s greatest beginning berth for 3 years.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, the polesitter for the primary two legs of F1’s ongoing Americas triple header, will begin alongside Verstappen on the entrance row whereas Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell certified fifth and sixth respectively.
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Yuki Tsunoda rants at Lewis Hamilton after lacking out on Q2 of the Sao Paulo GP
Yuki Tsunoda rants at Lewis Hamilton after lacking out on Q2 of the Sao Paulo GP
With Norris and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to share the fourth row, under-pressure Sergio Perez is again on row 5 in ninth for Purple Bull after unlucky timing meant he handed Piastri whereas the McLaren was spinning on the grass and needed to decelerate for yellow flags.
However, not for the primary time, there was no such misfortune for the opposite Purple Bull.
“We did not know when it could hit in qualifying, we thought it could hit,” mentioned polesitter Verstappen. “That is in fact insane climate.”
With a exciting-looking grid now in place for Sunday’s grand prix, consideration now turns to Saturday’s standalone Dash occasions at Interlagos.
The Dash Shootout to set the grid for the Dash itself begins at 2pm, with the 24-lap mini race when factors are awarded to the top-eight finishers following at 6.30pm
The complete-length Grand Prix, which makes use of the outcomes from Friday’s qualifying to set its grid, is on Sunday at 5pm. All periods are stay on Sky Sports activities F1.
Extra to observe…
Sao Paulo GP Qualifying end result: High 10
1) Max Verstappen, Purple Bull
2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
3) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
4) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
5) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
6) George Russell, Mercedes
7) Lando Norris, McLaren
8) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
9) Sergio Perez, Purple Bull
10) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
F1 is in Brazil for the ultimate leg of the Americas triple header and the final Dash weekend of the 2023 season. Watch each session from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix stay on Sky Sports activities F1, with Sunday’s race at 5pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports activities with NOW