Oscar Piastri steals the sprint pole from Lando Norris to pepper McLaren’s overwhelming dominance in Brazil

What superiority McLaren has shown at the start of the Brazilian Formula 1 Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have been in another world, so they will occupy the front row of the starting grid in the sprint race. But the pepper is in that Piastri took pole from Norris in the extremes.

Interlagos seems the ideal circuit for Norris to compress the drivers’ world championship as much as possible. Not only because McLaren is far ahead, but also because Red Bull seems in trouble and Max Verstappen will have to face a grid penalty Sunday. In the sprint the world championship leader will start fourth.

Sergio Pérez and Lewis Hamilton debacle in SQ2

When it seemed that everything at Interlagos was a fairy tale for McLaren, Piastri has added some spice to the fight. The Australian driver was the fastest in the sprint classification, overtaking his team leader’s pole position by just 29 thousandths. Norris will start second, from the dirty zone.

McLaren is clearly ahead at Interlagos. The next classified, Charles Leclerc, who will start third, is two and a half tenths away from Piastri. Norris was dominating the entire classification, but an inspired last lap by Piastri calls into question the team orders at McLaren. Each position in the sprint race is worth one point.

Of course, Norris isn’t going to get another opportunity like this to cut back. While McLaren flies at Interlagos, Red Bull is in trouble. Verstappen could only finish in fourth positionand miraculously beating Carlos Sainz. And on the long race grid he will have a five-place penalty for changing the heat engine.

Sergio Pérez debacle again at Interlagos. The Mexican was eliminated in SQ2, but this time he had help from Red Bull, which took him out on the track too late and prevented him from completing the final lap. Pérez will start thirteenth, and it is the big surprise along with the elimination of Lewis Hamilton, eleventh.

Of course, Mercedes is clearly stuck in fourth position in terms of current car power. George Russell was able to participate in SQ3, but he finished sixth, very far from both fifth and seventh. Behind him, Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson, Alexander Albon and a surprising Oliver Bearmanwho replaces the sick Kevin Magnussen.

The drama continues

Checo Pérez and Lewis Hamilton, ELIMINATED in SQ2 #BrasilDAZNF1 pic.twitter.com/YwYE9p8sCX

— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) November 1, 2024

The Aston Martin thing is beginning to be Dantesque. With a car made from scraps of old cars, the two drivers have been eliminated in SQ1. Fernando Alonso will start sixteenth in the sprint race while Lance Stroll was penultimate. The points options for Aston Martin are null.

Sprint Formula 1 GP Brazil 2024 classification results