Sao Paulo (AFP) - McLaren’s outgoing world champion Lando Norris grabbed pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix with a brave and well-judged drive in Saturday’s rainswept qualifying at Interlagos.

The 26-year-old Briton outpaced Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.204 seconds to claim his third consecutive pole at Interlagos in a storm-hit session that lasted two-and-a-half hours.

New world champion Kimi Antonelli was third for Mercedes, but he will start Sunday’s race from the front row as Russell faces a five-place grid penalty for taking new power-unit components.

“That was my first time driving the car in the wet so I think I figured it out pretty quickly,” said the outgoing 2025 world champion.

“It was very windy as well the last couple of laps so it is certainly a good day for learning for me.

“It’s good to take into tomorrow. These guys – Mercedes – are also very quick. Today is just about getting on pole, doesn’t matter how you do it so very pleased with that.”

It is the 20th pole position of Norris’s career and his third in succession in Brazil.

“It’s been a long day,” said Norris.

“It’s been a great qualifying, to be on pole again here, two years in a row! Different conditions to last year, but I am very happy.

“It was about getting two laps in and not making a mistake and that is exactly what we did so it has been a very good day.”

Russell was disappointed not to take pole after being told by Mercedes to ease off on his final push lap.

“Congrats to Lando, but it was definitely my pole lap. We should have finished the lap.”

Antonelli said: “It was very tricky out there and, to be fair, I didn’t know what to expect as I have never driven here before in the wet. I made a mistake and I nearly went off!”

Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari but also faces a penalty of 10 places for taking a new engine.

Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson was fifth ahead of Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg, Isack Hadjar of Red Bull and Oliver Bearman’s Haas.

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso was ninth for Aston Martin and Alex Albon 10th for Williams.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari qualified 11th, but also faces a penalty for taking two new engines on Saturday and will start from the back of the grid while four-time champion Max Verstappen, who also has a 20-place penalty, was 16th for Red Bull.

- 90-minute delay -

The session began after a 90-minute delay in treacherous conditions with high plumes of spray rising from the cars.

Valtteri Bottas led out in his Cadillac with a 1:42.314 to set the bar with team-mate Sergio Perez soon improving on that before Haas’s new boy Brazilian Rafael Camara hit the barriers, but continued.

Verstappen then went top ahead of Hamilton as conditions improved. Aware that there was more rain on the way, the teams warned their drivers that these were the best conditions.

Remarkably, they completed Q1 with Norris on top in 1:30.939, Camara through in 13th and both Alpines eliminated along with Lance Stroll of Aston Martin, both Cadillacs and local hero Gabriel Bortoleto who damaged his Audi’s rear wing.

For Pierre Gasly it was his first Q1 elimination this year.

Verstappen, set to start from the back of the grid after taking a new power unit, decided not to go out again and instead saved his tyres.

In the end, a red flag halted Q2 when Camara smacked the wall at Juncao, leaving Russell on top ahead of Lawson while Hamilton, set for his 400th Grand Prix, went out in 11th with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Camara, Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad and Carlos Sainz of Williams.

Antonelli survived in 10th while Alonso made Q3 for the first time this season.

Alonso led the queue, but he did not have the pace as Norris and then Russell went top as the rain arrived and Norris regained the initiative.