Winners and losers from a chaotic wet Brazilian GP qualifying
Summary
Lando Norris mastered a wild wet Interlagos qualifying for pole as George Russell’s aborted lap, Gabriel Bortoleto’s crash and several midfield gambles reshaped the Brazilian GP grid.
A rain-soaked Interlagos qualifying produced a chaotic 2026 Brazilian GP grid, with Lando Norris taking a third straight pole and George Russell left furious after aborting his final lap. The wet session created clear winners and losers from front to back.
Why it matters:
Changeable conditions reward judgement as much as pace. The grid now offers midfield teams a rare shot at big points—and leaves some front-runners with recovery drives.
The details:
- Norris was fastest in Q1 and Q3 when it counted, extending his strong Interlagos record.
- Russell had the speed but will start seventh after his aborted lap and a five-place penalty.
- Gabriel Bortoleto’s home race went wrong again: light wall contact broke his rear wing and left him 22nd.
- Liam Lawson led the best-of-the-rest charge in third; Fernando Alonso put Aston Martin in Q3 for the first time this year.
- Charles Leclerc saw useful learning in P4 despite Ferrari’s long-standing wet-weather weakness.
- Nico Hulkenberg qualified fourth, while Lewis Hamilton’s engine penalty left him 11th and wary of overtaking.
- Haas impressed with Ollie Bearman eighth and rookie Rafael Camara quick before his Q1 crash.
- Alpine struggled to 17th and 18th; Oscar Piastri was undone by a late inters call and a red flag.
What's next:
Norris starts from pole, but penalties and wet-weather uncertainty make Sunday volatile. Russell and Hamilton need recovery drives, while Lawson, Alonso and Hulkenberg chase unexpected rewards.
Original Article :https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/winners-and-losers-from-f1-2026-brazilian-gp-...