Overview
- Lando Norris set the session’s fastest time of 1:27.470 to claim pole at Interlagos after a treacherous qualifying session on Saturday.
- Qualifying was halted almost immediately by torrential rain, paused for about 90 minutes, and stretched into roughly two-and-a-half hours before Q1–Q3 concluded.
- A wave of power‑unit work led to major grid penalties: George Russell will drop five places, Charles Leclerc ten places, and Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez received full unit replacements that send them to the back.
- Team radio drama followed the on-track chaos as Russell said he was ordered to abort a final push lap and blamed the call for costing him a shot at pole.
- Rookie Rafael Camara crashed in qualifying while several midfield drivers including Liam Lawson, Nico Hülkenberg, Oliver Bearman and Fernando Alonso produced standout wet-weather runs that benefit from the reshuffled starting order.