F1 2025: São Paulo Grand Prix Qualifying Recap: Lando Norris makes it double pole in Brazil as Piastri falters again

Lando Norris continued his charge towards a maiden Formula One Drivers’ Title with the McLaren driver taking pole position for the São Paulo Grand Prix 2025. After winning the Sprint event earlier in the day, Norris continued to inch closer to that title, taking the advantage on an afternoon his teammate and championship rival, Oscar Piastri faltered again. 

Piastri could only manage P4 while Kimi Antonelli continued his strong weekend to take a front-row start with Norris. For Norris, it was his second pole of the weekend after having taken pole for the Sprint event as well.

If you missed the qualifying action in Brazil, here’s a quick recap. 

Q1 – Double blow for Red Bull as Verstappen’s title hit suffers massive hit

Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson put the quickest time of the session early on with a 1:10.543s with Oscar Piastri more than a second behind the leader. Lando Norris went quickest when he got his first lap done, with a 1:10.404s before Hamilton also had a strong first lap, putting in a 1:10.233s. Max Verstappen with his first run, was P6 after the opening runs, 0.4s behind Hamilton. 

Ollie Bearman went quickest with a flying 1:09.891s while Kimi Antonelli slotted in second, ahead of Hamilton. Verstappen was the biggest name in the drop zone with five minutes to go and the reigning world champion failed to get out of the bottom five, which eliminated him in Q1. Along with Verstappen, Haas’ Esteban Ocon, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, Yuki Tsundoa and Gabriel Bortoleto were also eliminated. 

Drivers eliminated in Q1:

Max Verstappen
Esteban Ocon
Franco Colapinto
Yuki Tsunoda
Gabriel Bortoleto

Q2 – Hamilton misses out while Williams suffer double exit

Alex Albon got the second session of qualifying underway with an opening time of 1:10.351s before Ollie Bearman went quickest again. Norris went quickest again late on in the session with a 1:09.616s as Bearman was dislodged from the top while Pierre Gasly put in a strong flying lap with two minutes to go to move to P5. 

As the clock ticked down, the Ferrari of Hamilton was the biggest name in the drop zone and the seven-time world champion couldn’t improve his time, which meant that Hamilton was the big name missing out on the top 10 shootout. Along with Hamilton, his old teammate, Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon, Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz missed out as well.

Drivers eliminated in Q2:

Fernando Alonso
Alex Albon
Lewis Hamilton
Lance Stroll
Carlos Sainz

Q3 – Norris stuns to steal pole

Bearman was the first out in Q3 and it was his 1:09.977s that set the early benchmark. While Norris had a big lock up in his first run, it was Piastri taking provisional pole with a 1.09.897s, going quicker by less than a tenth! After being P10 following messing up his first flying lap, Lando Norris put in a stunning 1:09.511s to steal pole while Kimi Antonelli continued to impress, going second with, being a tenth behind Norris. Leclerc made it a second row start for him, while Piastri could only manage P4. 

Starting grid for the São Paulo Grand Prix 2025 (before penalties applied):

1. Lando Norris
2. Kimi Antonelli
3. Charles Leclerc
4. Oscar Piastri
5. Isack Hadjar
6. George Russell
7. Liam Lawson
8. Ollie Bearman
9. Pierre Gasly
10. Nico Hülkenberg
11. Fernando Alonso
12. Alex Albon
13. Lewis Hamilton
14. Lance Stroll
15. Carlos Sainz
16. Max Verstappen
17. Esteban Ocon
18. Franco Colapinto
19. Yuki Tsunoda
20. Gabriel Bortoleto