2024 Sao Paulo GP Qualifying: Norris beats Russell and Tsunoda

In an exciting rain-soaked qualifying session, Lando Norris claimed pole position, while reigning world champion Max Verstappen was unexpectedly eliminated in Q2.

Ben

By Ben Bush
Updated on November 4, 2024

Lando Norris McLaren 2024 Sao Paulo GP Qualifying
Lando Norris, car number 4, takes pole with McLaren for the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix // Image: McLaren Media

Lando Norris secured pole position in a dramatic 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix qualifying session that saw championship leader Max Verstappen knocked out early. The rain-soaked and delayed Sunday morning session at Interlagos featured five crashes, with Norris setting a brilliant final lap in Q3 to outpace George Russell.

Verstappen, holding a 44-point lead over Norris in the 2024 Drivers’ Championship, was eliminated in Q2 and, with a five-place grid penalty for a new engine, set to start 17th in the race.

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RB’s Yuki Tsunoda unexpectedly qualified third, just ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, with Liam Lawson in the sister RB in fifth. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton suffered an early exit in Q1, and significant crashes impacted Williams’ Franco Colapinto, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Alex Albon, who sustained heavy damage, informed the media he might not start the race if his WIlliams team couldn’t repair his badly damaged car in time.

Sao Paulo GP Qualifying Results

2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Qualifying, 3 November 2024

PosNoDriverCarQ1Q2Q3Laps
14Lando NorrisMcLaren Mercedes1:30.9441:24.8441:23.40533
263George RussellMercedes1:29.1211:26.3071:23.57829
322Yuki TsunodaRB Honda RBPT1:29.1721:26.4641:24.11130
431Esteban OconAlpine Renault1:29.1711:26.2061:24.47531
530Liam LawsonRB Honda RBPT1:30.7581:25.6541:24.48430
616Charles LeclercFerrari1:29.8391:26.0971:24.52529
723Alexander AlbonWilliams Mercedes1:29.0721:25.8891:24.65728
881Oscar PiastriMcLaren Mercedes1:30.1141:25.1791:24.68628
914Fernando AlonsoAston Martin Aramco Mercedes1:30.2071:25.0351:28.99821
1018Lance StrollAston Martin Aramco Mercedes1:30.5801:26.33419
1177Valtteri BottasKick Sauber Ferrari1:30.6331:26.47221
121Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT1:28.5221:27.77119
1311Sergio PerezRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT1:30.0351:28.15818
1455Carlos SainzFerrari1:30.3031:29.40617
1510Pierre GaslyAlpine Renault1:29.4201:29.61421
1644Lewis HamiltonMercedes1:31.15011
1750Oliver BearmanHaas Ferrari1:31.22911
1843Franco ColapintoWilliams Mercedes1:31.2705
1927Nico HulkenbergHaas Ferrari1:31.62312
2024Zhou GuanyuKick Sauber Ferrari1:32.26312

How Norris Clinched a Crucial Pole in Brazil

In a rare Sunday qualifying session due to heavy rain on Saturday, Lando Norris narrowly avoided elimination in Q1, scraping through in 15th place. However, championship leader Max Verstappen was knocked out in Q2 after a crash by Lance Stroll at Turn Three.

The decision to stop the session took a contentious 40 seconds, during which Verstappen was relegated to the bottom five, unable to complete another lap. Sergio Perez suffered the same fate, being eliminated without a chance to respond.

Norris capitalised on the chaotic Q3, which saw further red flags due to crashes from Alonso and Stroll. He clinched his seventh pole of the season, positioning himself with a solid opportunity to reduce Verstappen’s championship lead come the races chequered flag.

2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Starting Grid

The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Qualifying session.

PosNoDriverCar
14Lando NorrisMcLaren Mercedes
263George RussellMercedes
322Yuki TsunodaRB Honda RBPT
431Esteban OconAlpine Renault
530Liam LawsonRB Honda RBPT
616Charles LeclercFerrari
723Alexander AlbonWilliams Mercedes
881Oscar PiastriMcLaren Mercedes
914Fernando AlonsoAston Martin Aramco Mercedes
1018Lance StrollAston Martin Aramco Mercedes
1177Valtteri BottasKick Sauber Ferrari
1211Sergio PerezRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT
1310Pierre GaslyAlpine Renault
1444Lewis HamiltonMercedes
1550Oliver BearmanHaas Ferrari
1643Franco ColapintoWilliams Mercedes
171Max Verstappen1Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT
1827Nico HulkenbergHaas Ferrari
1924Zhou GuanyuKick Sauber Ferrari
2055Carlos Sainz2Ferrari
1Max Verstappen penalised five positions for use of additional power unit element.
2Sainz required to start from the pit lane after additional power unit and gearbox elements were used.

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About The Author

Chief Editor

Ben Bush
Ben

Ben is our chief editor specialising in F1 from the 1990s to the modern era. Ben has been following Formula 1 since 1986 and is an avid researcher who loves understanding the technology that makes it one of the most exciting motorsport on the planet. He listens to podcasts about F1 on a daily basis, and enjoys reading books from the inspirational Adrian Newey to former F1 drivers.

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