F1 qualifying today: Norris on Brazil pole as Antonelli stars; Sprint goes to McLaren after Piastri crash

A high-drama Saturday at Interlagos delivered two storylines at once: F1 qualifying for Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix ended with Lando Norris on pole, and the F1 Sprint race earlier in the day swung the title picture when Oscar Piastri crashed out, clearing the way for Norris to win. Kimi Antonelli underlined his rapid rise with P2 in both sessions, while a shock Q1 exit for Max Verstappen and a midfield scramble set up a volatile Grand Prix.

F1 Sprint results — São Paulo (Interlagos)

• 1. Lando Norris (McLaren)

• 2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.845s

• 3. George Russell (Mercedes)

• 4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

• 5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

• 6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

• 7. Liam Lawson (RB)

• 8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

• DNF: Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

What it means: Norris banked valuable points and momentum; Antonelli kept the pressure on with another calm, high-pace drive; Piastri ceded ground in the title chase after his early accident.

F1 qualifying results — São Paulo GP grid (top 10)

1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – pole

2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

6. Liam Lawson (RB)

7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

8. Oliver Bearman (Haas)

9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

10. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)

Notables: Max Verstappen suffered his first Q1 elimination in four years; Lewis Hamilton starts P13, leaving both with work to do on race day.

F1 Sprint qualifying (SQ) — how the grid was set

Sprint qualifying earlier set the short-race order with an eye-catching front row: Piastri on pole from Leclerc, with Bearman and Antonelli next, then Russell, Gasly, Lawson, and Hadjar. That pace pattern proved real, even if the Sprint itself flipped on Piastri’s crash and Norris’s late charge.

Key takeaways: Antonelli’s arrival, Piastri’s setback, and a shaken pecking order

• Kimi Antonelli: Back-to-back P2s (Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying) confirm genuine front-running speed and composure in traffic. His starts and tire warm-up have been standouts at Interlagos.

• Oscar Piastri: The Sprint DNF resets his title math and hands intra-team leverage to Norris heading into the race. Sunday’s recovery drive will hinge on clean first stints and undercut windows.

• The champions on the back foot: With Verstappen out early in quali and Hamilton mired in the pack, strategy variance (offset compounds, early stops) becomes their path forward.

F1 Sprint race time and Brazil GP start time

• Sprint (completed): Saturday in São Paulo.

• Grand Prix lights out (Sunday): 12:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. GMT (local 2:00 p.m. BRT).
  Times subject to late adjustments.

What to watch on Sunday

• Turn 1-4 survival: Interlagos rewards bravery but punishes over-commitment; expect lap-one swings with Verstappen and Hamilton hunting gains from mid-pack.

• Undercut potency: Warm track and short pit delta make early stops dangerous for leaders—clean air vs. traffic is the chess match.

• McLaren intra-team balance: If Norris leads early, team calls around offsets vs. cover moves will define whether Piastri can rebound into the top five.

• Antonelli’s first lap: If he launches well, a strategic duel with Norris is on; a poor getaway could drop him into Mercedes/Ferrari crossfire.

Mini Formula 1 schedule — what’s next

Schedule subject to change.

Fast facts for searchers (keywords)

• f1 qualifying today: Norris on pole; Antonelli P2; Leclerc P3; Verstappen out in Q1.

• f1 sprint / f1 sprint results: Norris won; Antonelli P2; Russell P3; Piastri crashed out.

• f1 sprint qualifying: Piastri took SQ pole from Leclerc; Bearman and Antonelli next.

• kimi antonelli: Double P2 Saturday underscores front-running pace.

• oscar piastri / piastri: Sprint crash dents title hopes; needs recovery drive on Sunday.

• brazil gp / f1 brazil / são paulo: Interlagos produced major grid shocks; overtaking and tire deg set up an aggressive race.