Lando Norris Takes Sprint Pole at São Paulo Grand Prix as Title Rivals Falter

São Paulo, Brazil, November 8, 2025 — McLaren’s Lando Norris seized the upper hand in the title battle by taking Sprint pole position for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix, outpacing Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and teammate Oscar Piastri in a tense qualifying showdown at Interlagos.

While Norris delivered a blistering lap of 1:09.243, reigning World Champion Max Verstappen could only manage sixth, leaving the Red Bull driver with ground to make up in Saturday’s 24-lap Sprint race.

Norris Dominates Sprint Qualifying

The Sprint Qualifying (SQ1) session began with both McLarens setting the early pace, Piastri initially leading before Verstappen jumped ahead with a 1:10.107. However, Norris soon struck back, going fastest with 1:09.627, ending the first session clear of Alonso and Piastri.

In SQ2, Fernando Alonso briefly stunned the field by topping the timesheets for Aston Martin, ahead of Norris and Piastri. Mercedes’ George Russell slipped into third with Antonelli close behind. Charles Leclerc’s spin in the middle sector brought out yellow flags, denying several drivers—including Lewis Hamilton—a chance to improve.

Final Showdown: Norris Unstoppable

When it mattered most in SQ3, Norris delivered under pressure. His opening lap of 1:09.271 put him ahead of Antonelli and Piastri. After cooling his tyres, Norris went again, lighting up the timing sectors purple across all three splits to seal Sprint pole with 1:09.243.

Antonelli’s impressive late effort earned him P2, just 0.097s behind Norris, while Piastri completed the top three. Russell finished fourth ahead of Alonso, while Verstappen—struggling for balance—settled for sixth, shaking his head in frustration as he crossed the line.

São Paulo Sprint Qualifying – Top 10 Results

1. Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:09.243
2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +0.097s
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) – +0.185s
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.252s
5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – +0.253s
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – +0.337s
7. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – +0.428s
8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.482s
9. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – +0.532s
10. Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) – +0.692s

Set for a Thrilling Sprint Battle

With Norris starting from pole and Antonelli joining him on the front row, Saturday’s Sprint promises fireworks. Piastri and Russell will both look to capitalize early, while Verstappen faces the challenge of carving through traffic to minimize damage in the championship standings.

The 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix Sprint takes place on Saturday, ahead of Sunday’s full race at Interlagos — a circuit famous for drama, unpredictability, and title-defining moments.