Brazil Sprint grid: Lando Norris on pole, Kimi Antonelli stuns in P2, Ferrari left behind. Lando Norris takes pole for the Brazilian Sprint ahead of Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

The penultimate Sprint qualifying session of the 2025 Formula 1 season has come to an end, setting the grid for the Brazilian Sprint race scheduled for Saturday, November 8 at 15:00 (Italian time). It was another intense session at Interlagos, where Lando Norris secured pole position for McLaren, ahead of a surprising Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes.

The first qualifying phase (Q1) saw track conditions improve lap after lap. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled to find rhythm early on but managed to advance to Q2, though not without a few scares. Oliver Bearman once again proved his competitiveness, as seen previously in Mexico. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz Jr. completed only one timed lap, which was not enough to make the cut.

In Q2, the biggest shock came from Lewis Hamilton, who was eliminated after finishing only 11th. The standout performer of the session was Fernando Alonso, who set the fastest time for Aston Martin. Both Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc faced difficulties, with the Monegasque driver spinning and nearly ending his session early. Alongside Lewis Hamilton, those eliminated were Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Oliver Bearman. After qualifying, Lewis Hamilton was placed under investigation for allegedly not slowing down under double yellow flags following Charles Leclerc’s spin.

In the final shootout (Q3), Mercedes showed strong pace, with several drivers opting for a single timed lap. Max Verstappen could do no better than sixth, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli surprised everyone by securing a spot on the front row of the grid, right behind Lando Norris. Ferrari, on the other hand, continues to struggle to extract performance from the SF-25 at Interlagos.

Brazil Sprint starting grid

1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
9. Isack Hadjar (VCARB)
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber)
11. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
12. Alex Albon (Williams)
13. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
14. Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber)
15. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
16. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
17. Liam Lawson (VCARB)
18. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
19. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
20. Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams)