At Interlagos it was Oscar Piastri who took the pole position in the Sprint, surprising teammate Lando Norris by just 29 thousandths and confirming McLaren as the team to beat on a flying lap. A result that projects the Woking team into an ideal position for the sprint race, with Norris still in the running for the drivers' championship. Ferrari is positioned immediately behind, with Charles Leclerc ready to defend third place, while Max Verstappen starts fourth, determined to challenge the McLarens and make the most of the new engine before the penalty in the race on Sunday. Let's see the starting grid of the Sprint Race in Brazil.
McLaren uncatchable in Sprint qualifying
McLaren dominated Sprint qualifying in Brazil, confirming its position as the most competitive team over a single lap. In qualifying, Oscar Piastri made the most of the speed of the MCL38, outwitting Norris at the last moment and earning the first spot on the grid. His teammate, favourite for pole after his excellent performances in FP and in the early stages of qualifying, made a small mistake in the final attempt that cost him the lead. With both cars on the front row, McLaren has a strong position for the short race, ideal for consolidating the lead in the constructors' championship.
Ferrari and Red Bull: ready to chase
In third place we find Charles Leclerc, who pushed his Ferrari SF-24 to the max, despite being aware of the gap with the McLarens. The Monegasque will try to exploit every opportunity in the Sprint to bring precious points to the Reds, with his teammate Carlos Sainz in fifth position. Between them is Max Verstappen, fourth, ready to start aggressively to try to close in on his rivals from McLaren and Ferrari, despite the penalty for the engine change that he will have to serve in Sunday's race.
Lawson and Bearman shine in Sprint qualifying
Among the surprises of the day was Liam Lawson, who earned a well-deserved eighth position on the starting grid. With another solid performance, the young New Zealander confirmed his skills, showing off among much more experienced drivers and giving Racing Bulls a valuable result. Oliver Bearman also achieved a good result, driving the Haas to a tenth place, demonstrating once again his talent at the end of a competitive session. The big outcasts of SQ2 were Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez. A result that increases the pressure on the Mexican while speculation continues about his future at Red Bull.
Starting Grid Sprint GP Brazil:
Compared to the sprint qualifying results, the starting grid sees some changes. Stroll, Alonso and Zhou will start from the Pit Lane after breaking the parc fermé.
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
6. George Russell (Mercedes)
7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
8. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
9. Alex Albon (Williams)
10. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
11. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
12. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
13. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
14. Franco Colapinto (Williams)
15. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
16. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
17. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)
They will start from the Pit Lane:
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Guanyu Zhou (Sauber)
