Pole-sitter Lando Norris‘s rain-soaked path to the world championship opened up in a pinball qualifying session for the Brazilian Grand Prix when Max Verstappen managed only the 12th fastest time.
With a five-place grid penalty, the Dutchman will start from 17th on the grid, though crashed cars above him may not be repairable in time and he is likely to be somewhat boosted up the order.
As for Norris, it was a pole position to dream of on the sodden Interlagos track, with Mercedes’ George Russell second quickest and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda a surprise third.
Norris must now capitalise emphatically on what presents itself as a momentum-shifting opportunity in the title contest.
Verstappen, who heads the standings by 44 points with four races remaining, was partly a victim of bad luck. He was on course to improve his time as seconds ticked down in Q2, only for Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll to tumble off track and cause a red flag that brought a premature end to proceedings.
Pole-sitter Lando Norris ‘s rain-soaked path to the world championship opened up in qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix when Max Verstappen managed only the 12th fastest time
For Norris, it was a pole position to dream of on the sodden Interlagos track, with Mercedes’ George Russell second quickest and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda a surprise third
Verstappen hit his steering wheel in frustration. His father Jos banged his fist on the desk in the garage. His race engineer ‘GP’ held his head in his hands.
‘A car hits the wall and it needs to be a straight red,’ said Verstappen, implying he might have fitted in another lap had officials acted faster. ‘I don’t understand why it needs to take 30-40 seconds for a red flag to come out. It’s just bulls***.
‘It’s so stupid. It’s ridiculous.’
More rain is forecast for a race brought forward 90 minutes – to 3.30pm GMT – in an attempt to dance around the grey weather, so there is a prospect of Verstappen exploiting the conditions on a circuit that offers overtaking chances.
As well as Stroll, his team-mate Fernando Alonso and the Williams of Franco Calopinto and Alex Albon, as well as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, spun off to prompt red flags during a thrilling session that had been postponed from Saturday’s thunder-accompanied drenching.
Lewis Hamilton was sensationally eliminated from qualifying in Q1 in a scarcely believable sub-par performance in the wet
There were three red flags after three crashes, including one from Carlos Sainz (above)
Pictured above, Sainz’s car being lifted off the track after crashing into the barriers
Alonso’s shunt at Turn 11 was a biggish one. It stopped Q3 with seven minutes remaining and the medical car was deployed, though the Spaniard declared himself OK. ‘Sorry,’ he said.
At this point, Norris was top of the timing screens. Then came Albon’s hefty smash at Turn 1. He skidded on the white line. He was taken away, holding his wrist. Neither man nor car is guaranteed to be ready for lights out.
As for Lewis Hamilton, he was sensationally eliminated from qualifying in Q1 in a scarcely believable sub-par performance. He qualified 16th but will move up a slot after Verstappen takes his penalty.
The seven-time world champion’s day of horror unfolded as Calopinto lost control and spun into the Rolex hoardings at Turn 3. The red flag was waved, bringing an eight-minute pause to proceedings. The rain intensified at this point.
This was potential bad news for Mercedes, with both their cars in the drop zone. Hamilton, who has carved his legend in the wet, was rock bottom, 11 seconds off the top. George Russell was only two places above him.
Max Verstappen has been hit by a five-place grid penalty for the Brazil Grand Prix on Sunday
Due to the fact he was knocked out in Q2 in qualifying on Sunday, Verstappen ended up qualifying the 12th-fastest. Therefore, he will start the race in P17
Alex Albon also crashed out on Sunday morning, with his car looking worse for wear
Russell escaped with some ease when the action restarted, going on to outshine his more garlanded team-mate by an embarrassing margin.
This is the Hamilton who produced one of the two greatest drives in rain-soaked conditions the world has ever known – Silverstone in 2008, winning by a minute, to stand comparison with his hero Ayrton Senna’s magic at Donington in 1993.
Hamilton was amphibian that day 16 years ago – and then this. He finished wo seconds behind Russell. It was one of the most staggering performances I have witnessed in reporting more than 300 grands prix. ‘The car was undriveable,’ said Hamilton, who is 16-5 down to Russell in qualifying this season.
Either Hamilton is being sabotaged by Mercedes or something serious is wrong with him. He is 39 years old, and one wonders whether he can ever recapture the preternatural nerve and skill that took him to the pinnacles of motor racing during a long peak.
But history tells us never to write him off. He has made a career of producing conjuring acts at moments of crisis. It would be the most Hamilton thing in the world to win the race from seeming oblivion this afternoon.
A penny for the thoughts of John Elkann, president of Ferrari, who is paying a goldmine for Hamilton’s services next year and the one after.
