McLaren
Norris led off the line at the start of the Sprint, and despite some late pressure, came home with the win. But for the second Sprint in a row, Piastri failed to finish. He was running third in the early stages when he got up on the kerb, which was still carrying some water. That caused a spin, the Australian hitting the barriers and heading for an early shower.
Norris picked up where he left off in Qualifying, topping the first two segments. A lock-up on his first run in Q3 left him P10 with it all to do, but he did not disappoint on his second run, grabbing pole by a healthy margin. Piastri could not match his team mate when it mattered, winding up fourth.
Lando Norris, Sprint: 1st, Qualifying: 1st, 1:09.511
“It’s been good fun today despite the tricky conditions. The track is slippery and inconsistent – but it’s still a pleasure to drive at Interlagos and a great start to the weekend by winning the Sprint. We’ve been on very good form today, and the team are giving me a great car, so thank you to everyone at McLaren. I put myself under a bit of pressure in Q3 by locking-up at the first corner, which made things a little bit more stressful than I would have liked, but I stayed calm and put it together when it mattered.
“As for tomorrow, we don’t know what the weather is going to do, but we do know the competition is very quick. Big challenge ahead, but one we’ll prepare for overnight and just focus on delivering the best possible performance.”
Oscar Piastri, Sprint: DNF, Qualifying: 4th, 1:09.886
“Not quite the day I was looking for. There were very tricky conditions in both the Sprint and Quali and we didn’t know how the grip was going to be. Unfortunately, I’ve paid the price for that. The car’s been quick all weekend, so hopefully we can take advantage of it tomorrow and finish at the top.”
Andrea Stella, Team Principal
“A positive day overall, even if we do have one regret. Lando continued his excellent weekend, first winning a very complicated Sprint given the track conditions and then taking Pole position in a Qualifying session where the wind made conditions tricky. The regret is linked to Oscar missing points in the Sprint, after demonstrating strong pace, but he has already put that behind him in Qualifying and will be pushing hard in the race.
“Tomorrow, it will be important to execute everything perfectly: strategy, pit stops, tyre management and all the changes in weather conditions that may occur. Today, we saw once again that there is a very tight competition and let’s not forget that on this track everything can happen: last year’s race winner started from 17th position on the grid. So, we will have to pay attention to every detail and stay focused at all times to exploit the potential we have at our disposal.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Pole position qualifier Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Pole position qualifier Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Mercedes
Antonelli and Russell duelled off the line, with the youngster getting ahead. They went side by side again at the rolling restart, keeping their fights clean and fair much to the relief of the team. But from there Antonelli had the edge, and he gradually closed in on Norris ahead. But with the track still damp, it was too hard to leave the dry racing line and challenge the McLaren man for the lead. Second and third was still a strong enough result to lift Mercedes into second in the championship.
Like Norris, Antonelli was able to continue his form from the Sprint in Qualifying, as he grabbed P2 on the grid for his best Grand Prix start. But Russell was struggling with his tyres, so much so he opted to bolt on some mediums for his final flying run in Q3 – to no avail.
George Russell, Sprint: 3rd, Qualifying: 6th, 1:09.942
“First of all, a huge congratulations to Kimi. He did a massive job out there and I’m really proud of him and the team. On my side, P6 is not where I wanted to be today. I struggled a lot to put the Soft tyres in the right window and couldn’t find the necessary grip to put a good lap together. With only one hour of practice yesterday and the changing weather conditions overnight, making both Soft and Medium tyres perform proved challenging.
“Whilst starting from the third row is far from ideal, we are ahead of one Ferrari and both Red Bulls. That is very important in our fight for P2 in the Constructors’ Championship. We were able to add good points collectively as a team in this morning’s Sprint and will be looking to do the same in tomorrow’s Grand Prix.”
Kimi Antonelli, Sprint: 2nd, Qualifying: 2nd, 1:09.685
“I am really happy to be starting on the front row for tomorrow’s race. Qualifying was not easy with a lot of unexpected wind gusts, but we managed to put everything together from Q1 to Q3. We were able to put the tyres in the right window, and we did a solid job as a team, putting a good lap together at the end when it mattered.
“Throughout the weekend, I’ve been more and more comfortable with the car, and I’ve been enjoying racing on this track. The crowd is amazing here and it gives a lot of energy to perform at your best. The Sprint was exciting; I was pushing hard at the end using the Medium tyre to put Lando (Norris) under pressure. I got close but didn’t have enough speed to attempt an overtake. Nevertheless, that is a good sign for tomorrow’s race. I’m excited to be starting at the front, can hopefully fight the cars around us, and look to add some good points in our battle for P2 in the Constructors’ Championship.”
Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“That was a solid day in the office for us as a team. Kimi has performed strongly all weekend, despite this being his first time racing around here, and he maximised the result in both this morning’s Sprint and this afternoon’s qualifying. He was matching Lando (Norris) right up until the last corner on his final effort in Q3. There was, just like yesterday, a chance of him taking pole potentially but P2 is a good position to be starting from tomorrow.
“For George, he has been struggling with a lack of grip and that showed itself particularly on the Soft compound tyre. We will see what we can do with the tools we have at our disposal to help him with that tomorrow. Starting P6, he will be looking to move forward and gain positions. Our pace in the Sprint offers hope that he can do that and that Kimi can be in the fight right at the front. The conditions are once again likely to change tomorrow though so we won’t take anything for granted.”
Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director
“The day got off to a good start with the Sprint race. We decided to go on the Soft tyre for the start line benefit, especially considering the slightly damp track. This decision worked out quite nicely with the subsequent red flag, allowing us to fit the Medium tyre and manage the rest of the race well from there. Putting both cars onto the Sprint race podium was a nice achievement this morning but our focus quickly shifted to preparing for qualifying.
“With good pace on both single lap and long run, we headed into that session with confidence. Kimi had a solid hour from start to finish, and P2 is another very strong result. George struggled a bit with the Soft tyre on the other hand. We will have a look at the data overnight to understand the issue and solve the lack of comfort George has felt all weekend.
“The starting grid should make tomorrow’s race interesting. George’s good pace this morning should help him progress to the front tomorrow. Kimi showed today that he can match Lando’s (Norris) pace and fight at the front. We’re studying all strategies available to put the field under some pressure tomorrow.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Second placed qualifier Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team is interviewed during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Anni Graf – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Second placed qualifier Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team is interviewed during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Anni Graf – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Ferrari
Hamilton had a great getaway on the initial Sprint start, climbing from P11 to eighth. That put him into the points and on the tail of his team mate. Those two followed Alonso closely throughout, but Leclerc only managed to finally find a way through with a few laps left. That did not give Hamilton enough time to mount an attack of his own, but they could at least take heart from having better pace than they showed on Friday.
That pace deserted Hamilton in Qualifying, though, as he became another driver to struggle with rear grip. He exited in Q2 on merit, but Leclerc at least made it to the top 10 shootout. Once there, the Monegasque driver finally found some pace, grabbing P3 on the grid somewhat against the run of form.
Charles Leclerc, Sprint: 5th, Qualifying: 3rd, 1:09.805
“The Sprint this morning was quite good, but we were lacking some straight line speed which cost us a bit of lap time and had me stuck behind Fernando (Alonso) for quite a while.
As for qualifying, I’m happy to have put it all together. We changed the car a bit after the Sprint this morning which gave us some more performance. It was very tight today, and I put in good laps in Q2 and Q3, so I’m satisfied to be starting the race from third place tomorrow because none of us expected this given what a challenging weekend we’ve had so far and the team did a really good job today. If we manage to stay ahead after the start we have a chance to bring home a good result for the team.
“Big congratulations to our team in WEC who secured the Constructors’ title for the first time in 53 years today, and to Antonio (Giovinazzi) and his team mates in car #51, for winning the Drivers’ title. They all did an amazing job and the whole team in Bahrain deserves to celebrate this achievement.”
Lewis Hamilton, Sprint: 7th, Qualifying: 13th, 1:10.100
“Congratulations to our WEC colleagues for securing both championships in the final endurance race — a well-deserved result for everyone involved. Today also started on a positive note here in Brazil. In the Sprint I was able to make up a good number of places, which got me back into the points. We made some changes to the car afterwards that helped on the straights and in the high-speed corners, but unfortunately we couldn’t get the rear tyres into the right window in Q2 and that cost us. Still, a lot can happen on this track, as we’ve already seen today, so we’ll give it everything and try to put up a strong fight tomorrow.”
Fred Vasseur, Team Principal
“The lap times are getting closer and closer: between first and sixteenth there’s just one tenth difference. This means it only takes the smallest of mistakes or a bit of traffic on a quick lap to find yourself already out in Q1 or Q2.
“We did a much better job today than yesterday. It’s a matter of putting everything together and doing everything perfectly. We were expecting rain, but it didn’t come and so, for qualifying we went with a lower downforce set-up. The WEC title in Bahrain is a fantastic achievement that makes everyone in Maranello proud. It’s a clear reminder that we are one company and one team, united by the same passion and commitment wherever we race. Let’s hope it also brings us some positive energy here in Brazil.”
Why Hamilton has a special connection to BrazilInternal linkGallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Pole position qualifier Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Third placed qualifier Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Scuderia Ferrari talk in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Sutton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Pole position qualifier Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Third placed qualifier Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Scuderia Ferrari talk in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Sutton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Red Bull
Tsunoda started the Sprint from the pit lane, the team opting to test out a different downforce set-up with a view to gaining data to use on Verstappen’s car in the mixed conditions. That left all eyes on the Dutchman, who had a great initial start to pick off Alonso and run fifth. He had to fight harder at the rolling restart to stay ahead of the Spaniard, but from there came home fourth after inheriting a place when Piastri crashed. As such he lost some ground to Norris in the championship, but it could have been worse.
And indeed it was worse, much worse in Qualifying. Neither Red Bull made it out of Q1, with Verstappen complaining about sliding as he admitted he had to “under-drive” the car just to avoid an accident. Whatever way Red Bull went on set-up after the Sprint did not work, and now they have it all to do tomorrow.
Max Verstappen, Sprint: 4th, Qualifying: 16th, 1:10.401
“The Sprint today was a mixed bag, I had a good start and made up one position but that was about as good as it got. We then had the red flag and my race was pretty much over, I just couldn’t keep up with the cars in front of me and the wet patches on the track didn’t help. The Sprint felt similar to how the car felt during Sprint Quali yesterday so considering that, we definitely maximised as much as was possible with the P4 result. Between the Sprint and Quali today we made quite a few changes to the car to try and improve performance, but the grip and traction were not there and I was sliding around a lot which resulted in me really having to under drive. I am struggling to understand why the performance has been quite so bad today, we have a lot to analyse but firstly we need to understand the issues that we have been facing all weekend. The whole weekend has been pretty tough which is definitely unexpected but let’s see what tomorrow has in store.”
Yuki Tsunoda, Sprint: 13th, Qualifying: 19th, 1:10.711
“Today was a frustrating one. We had tried a different approach going into the Sprint to gain some important data for the Team before Qualifying. Starting from the pitlane made it difficult to make up many positions, but the data we took into Qualifying was valuable. Between the Sprint and Quali, we’d made changes to get ourselves in a better position. From my side of the garage it made a difference, I felt we made a step forward together. For Quali I felt better in the car, it solved some of the limitations that I was feeling in the Sprint but we then encountered another issue as a result of the changes. The lack of grip was a problem, especially in these conditions, where in sector one we just couldn’t get the tyres going. It’s frustrating to not have maximised on the positives changes we’d made. I’ll start from the back, so I’ll try my best tomorrow to overtake and move up the pack.”
Laurent Mekies, Team Principal
“Today has not been a positive day for the Team, but one we will try and learn from. The Sprint was tough and we did not have the pace to fight for the win. We managed to stay not too far off the leaders though and brought home some points with Max in P4. We were not happy with where we were after the Sprint, so we decided to make a number of changes. It is part of the risk taking we felt was necessary to see if we could get more out of the car. It didn’t work and if anything, it went in the opposite direction and clearly, we lost a lot of competitiveness. It is painful and difficult to accept but it is what happens when you take risks sometimes and the best we can do is to learn from it and see where we can improve the car from here. It’s fair to say we are missing the right window for the car for this circuit, in these conditions. That is where the effort will go and we will look at the options to see how we can improve the situation. All the Team is fully focussed to get both cars into a more competitive place for the race tomorrow.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the garage prior to qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the garage prior to qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Racing Bulls
Hadjar did not get off the line well in the Sprint, which ended any chance he had of picking up points out there. Lawson had a more eventful time of it, called to the stewards after an early coming together with Bearman. They opted to add five seconds to his race time for causing a collision, which dropped him a few places down the order.
But both drivers did much better in Qualifying, as they made Q3 with ease. Hadjar was the best midfield runner in fifth, with Lawson a couple of places further back.
Isack Hadjar, Sprint: 10th, Qualifying: 5th, 1:09.931
“After a tricky Sprint race this morning, I’m glad that we put it all together during a hectic Qualifying session. There were very difficult conditions out there and despite having a fast a car, for most of the time I was just fighting with it. It wasn’t easy at all to keeping the car on track today, so this P5 comes with a bit of a surprise and it’s a great result for us as a team. Tomorrow we’ll start in a very interesting position and it’s definitely a big opportunity to score important points for the Constructors’ Championship, so we’ll give our all to achieve the best possible result.”
Liam Lawson, Sprint: 16th, Qualifying: 7th, 1:09.962
“To have both cars in Q3 is a great result for the team. The pace was very strong in Qualifying, which is great given the tough Sprint race. We’ll be analysing the small details after losing lap time during Q3, which cost us a few positions, but it’s certainly a decent place to be starting from tomorrow. As always, the target is to score points, so we’ll be giving it our all on track.”
Guillaume Dezoteux, Head of vehicle Performance
“The weather conditions we found today were certainly better than expected; the track was still damp for the start of the Sprint this morning, but everybody elected to start on the dry tyres. The Sprint race was difficult for us, Isack had a poor start on the Soft tyres and lost several positions in the first few corners. After the red flag, we decided to put him on the Mediums, which looked a little bit more competitive, but it wasn’t good enough for points, despite several cars ahead being taken out in incidents. Liam had a decent start, but out of Turn 3 was pushed onto the grass. With wet and dirty tyres, he struggled in the following corner and made contact with another car, heavily damaging his floor and bodywork. From there it was tough to recover.
“Following the overnight analysis, simulator running and the driver’s feedback from the Sprint, we made several setup changes for Qualifying, including a downforce level change on Isack. Both drivers did a brilliant job to secure the 5th and 7th positions on the grid and the team managed the progression through session on this very tight field very well – there were 13 cars in less than half a second in Q2!
We have a long race ahead tomorrow, but we’re starting from a good position. The target is clear: score points with both cars.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Seventh placed qualifier Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls and Fifth placed qualifier Isack Hadjar of France and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls congratulate each other in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Seventh placed qualifier Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls and Fifth placed qualifier Isack Hadjar of France and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls congratulate each other in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Haas
Both Haas drivers tangled with Lawson in the Sprint. First, Bearman was tagged into a spin at the start when fighting with the Kiwi racer. He was handed a five-second time penalty for the incident. Ocon found himself alongside Lawson later on when jostling for position. Either way, Haas did not have the pace to recover from their lowly qualifying slots in the dash.
But Bearman more than atoned for that moment in Qualifying. He was right at the top of the pecking order for much of Q2, and looked in the mix for the front rows. Alas, he could not fully nail his lap in Q3, but does have a very decent starting slot – as he did in Mexico. Ocon is still struggling over one lap by comparison, exiting in Q1.
Esteban Ocon, Sprint: 11th, Qualifying: 17th, 1:10.438
“We’re working as hard as we can as a team to find answers. The car was very difficult to drive, lacking balance, so it was a disappointing session. It’s not from a lack of trying though, so I’m sure we’ll find out the answer to this and get to where we should be. The Sprint was a race of survival. It was one of those where if you stay on track and finish the race, you usually gain some positions, but it was hard out there.”
Oliver Bearman, Sprint: 12th, Qualifying: 8th, 1:09.977
“I had a great feeling from Lap 1, but I was surprised by our competitiveness. We were P3 in Q1 and P2 in Q2, so we were very strong. In Q3, I thought my first lap was good but I didn’t improve compared to what I had achieved in Q2, so it’s a bit strange that it panned out like that, and the track wasn’t evolving, but otherwise it was a really good qualifying for us. I’m excited for tomorrow – we showed great race pace in the Sprint, and starting in a good position for tomorrow is nice, I’m really looking forward to the race.”
Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal
“Overall, it was a satisfying day. In the Sprint, we showed that in free air we had good pace. It was clear after that we needed to qualify well, and if we did, we should be able to have a good race on Sunday. Q1 is always the most difficult one because everyone is so close together, you can be P6 or P18, and there’s not much in it. Ollie did an amazing job, so much so that we cancelled our final run in Q1 and saved one new set of tyres for the rest of qualifying. Esteban had the tyres, but his performance wasn’t there, so we really need to understand that – we need both cars to be able to fight in the Constructors’ battle.
“In Q2, what can I say, Ollie’s lap was sensational, and he essentially only needed that one lap to get into Q3. Then in the final stage of qualifying, I don’t think we quite got our tyre preparation right, but I think from what everyone saw out there today, it’s so sensitive, and I think the team has done a great job. The opportunity is there tomorrow as we start from a decent position and have good pace, I’m looking forward to it.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Eighth placed qualifier Oliver Bearman of Great Britain and Haas F1 is interviewed during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Anni Graf – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Eighth placed qualifier Oliver Bearman of Great Britain and Haas F1 is interviewed during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Anni Graf – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Alpine
Colapinto was the third car to get onto the kerb at Turn 2, pick up some water and spin off into retirement. The Argentine hit the barriers the hardest of the three cars, but was cleared by the Medical Centre. As for Gasly, he continued his strong form here, fighting hard and overtaking Stroll to grab the last point on offer. It was his first score since Silverstone.
The Frenchman impressed in Qualifying, too, making it all the way to Q3. He qualified ninth for the Grand Prix, as he chases more points. Colapinto exited in Q1, but was at least able to compete after his team did a good job to rebuild his car after his Sprint crash.
Pierre Gasly, Sprint: 8th, Qualifying: 9th, 1:10.002
“It’s been a really good day with our first point since Spa in the Sprint Race this morning and then our first Q3 appearance since Silverstone in Qualifying in the afternoon. It’s really pleasing to see we had the potential to be in the mix today which we will aim to take forwards to tomorrow for the main race. In the Sprint, I felt like I had a car which I could race with. I knew the point was close and I had to fight hard throughout and then go for it on Lance (Stroll) into Turn 1. It is just a point but it is a morale boost for everyone at the team. It’s been difficult for us recently and we have some ideas on why we are competitive here but we really need to keep digging for some more answers. In Qualifying, we were only a few hundredths of a second to finishing in the top five. My last run definitely was not my strongest but, even so, we are starting inside the top ten and will aim to consolidate that tomorrow with the aim of another points scoring finish.”
Franco Colapinto, Sprint: DNF, Qualifying: 18th, 1:10.632
“First of all, a massive thank you to the team for repairing the car and getting me out in time for Qualifying. It was a great effort and I’m super grateful to them. We were running quite well in the Sprint in tricky conditions, but one of the cars ahead kicked up some water, which caught out a few cars and created a snowball effect. As soon as I touched the paint, I lost the car, which was a pity as we were having some nice battles and looked reasonably competitive. The car felt quite different to the one we had earlier in the weekend and generally I didn’t feel as comfortable, and the performance wasn’t there like we’ve seen at different stages of the weekend. Also well done to Pierre, who has been super strong this weekend. Getting a point in the Sprint and making Q3, it’s a nice reward to the team for their hard work. Clearly there’s pace in the car here, we just need to understand why we couldn’t get the same feeling.”
Steve Nielsen, Managing Director
“Looking at how today unfolded, yes, we can be pleased with the result and how much more competitive we look here than in previous races. However, the other thing that really pleases me the most is how the team reacted to get Franco’s car back out on track so quickly for Qualifying. A lot of their hard work goes unnoticed, and they kicked into gear immediately and basically did a full rebuild in the short gap between sessions, which not all teams managed to achieve. Kudos to them after what has been a long and tiring season, I know Franco was very grateful and went around thanking every team member. We know points have been hard to come by this season, so for Pierre to get a point in the Sprint and make it into Q3 is testament to how he’s driving at the moment. With all the changes, Franco didn’t feel as comfortable in the car, so we’ve got a bit of work to do overnight to see what improvements we can make.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Pierre Gasly of France driving the (10) Alpine F1 A525 Renault on track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Pierre Gasly of France driving the (10) Alpine F1 A525 Renault on track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Kick Sauber
Kick Sauber’s Sprint did not go to plan. First Hulkenberg spun out into the barriers at Turn 2 after getting on the kerb, narrowly missing hitting Piastri’s McLaren. The German did limp back to the pits and the team did a great job to change his front and rear wing and get him back out after the red flag, but he had dropped to the back of the field. As for Bortoleto, he pulled off the racing line late on to try an overtake, lost immediate control and slammed into the barrier before bouncing across the track into the other barrier.
It was a big crash, and it was great to see the Brazilian walk away from it. But unfortunately, the team could not repair his car in time for Qualifying, and he was unable to compete over one lap on home soil. Hulkenberg flew the flag for the team and did well, making Q3 for the first time this season.
Nico Hulkenberg, Sprint: 15th, Qualifying: 10th, 1:10.039
“It’s great to have made it to Q3 – for the first time this year – so that’s definitely something to be pleased about. That said, it wasn’t the easiest session. The wind made the car quite unpredictable and difficult to handle, and the balance was tricky throughout, which made it hard to really string the laps together. Still, we dug deep and got ourselves into the top ten, which is a solid result given the conditions. Earlier in the day, the Sprint had a disappointing outcome, but big credit to the team – they did a great job getting the car fixed and ready again in such a short amount of time. We’ve been working hard to improve the package, and it’s encouraging to see progress. Tomorrow looks like it’ll be a dry race, which could be a challenge, but we’ll give it everything. There are some fast cars behind, so we’ll need to be smart, stay clean, and try to capitalise on any opportunities. The target is always points, and we’ll fight hard to bring some home.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, Sprint: DNF, Qualifying: 20th, No time set in Q1
“I was lucky and blessed to get away unharmed from my incident today; it was a huge crash, but I’m here standing on my own feet, and that shows not only how well these cars are built nowadays, but also the progress we have made through the years in terms of safety. I would like to thank our mechanics, who did everything they could to get me back on track for Qualifying. They worked super hard to rebuild my car from zero, and we almost made it in time. Obviously, I can’t avoid being a bit disappointed not to have made it to quali at my first home Grand Prix – that’s a shame, because I really feel like our car was competitive enough to build something this weekend, as shown by Nico making it into Q3. But there’s still a race to do tomorrow. I just want to sit in the car, drive, give my best, and enjoy my time out there.”
Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal
“First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the incredible effort from the entire crew in the garage today. Following Nico’s incident in the sprint race, they repaired his car during the red flag and then had to remove the gearbox to address another issue immediately afterward. On Gabi’s side of the garage, the team gave it absolutely everything, building up a new chassis, engine, and gearbox in a very short window after his crash in the sprint. We are all extremely relieved that he was uninjured, a testament to pioneering work carried out by the FIA and teams on safety. Ultimately, everything needed to go perfectly for the car to be ready for qualifying and one small issue meant it didn’t happen today, which was a shame for Gabi and the entire team after such an incredible effort.
“Looking at the positives, Nico had a smooth qualifying session and deservedly reached his first Q3 of the season, finishing P10. Considering the challenges we faced today, it is a very encouraging result, and I leave the circuit feeling proud of the team and optimistic about the race.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Tenth placed qualifier Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber looks on in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Tenth placed qualifier Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber looks on in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Aston Martin
Alonso was feisty off the line but could not quite hold Verstappen at bay. He nearly got the Dutchman at the restart, though, the duo going side by side before Alonso yielded. He then held up the Ferrari pair for lap after lap and looked set for a fantastic fifth before Leclerc finally snuck through, after the Spaniard was ordered to lift and coast. As for Stroll, he had a poor start and dropped to eighth – losing out to Gasly towards the end of the race, as he narrowly missed out on a point.
Qualifying did not go as well for the team as Sprint Qualifying had, with neither driver able to make it out of Q2. Alonso is at least in touching distance of the points in P11, but there is work to do for the team if they want to score more points tomorrow.
Fernando Alonso, Sprint: 6th, Qualifying: 11th, 1:10.001
“It was a bit of a mixed day for us. The Sprint went well this morning and we scored some good points. We were a little unlucky with the red flag when everyone changed to Mediums. Without that, I think we could have done even better. In Qualifying, it was more difficult because the Soft tyres didn’t give me the confidence to really push. We are P11 though so we are in the fight for points tomorrow if we execute a clean race. Let’s see what we can do.”
Lance Stroll, Sprint: 9th, Qualifying: 14th, 1:10.161
“We qualified in P14 today: Q1 was feeling okay, I managed to get a clean lap in at the end and the car balance was feeling good. In Q2 I struggled with grip and just wasn’t feeling the level of grip that I had in Q1. We will have to look into it and understand why so we can fight back tomorrow. It’s another day and hopefully some opportunities come up ahead of us so we can make up some positions.”
Mike Krack, Chief Trackside Officer
“The short Interlagos layout always creates tight grids and close racing. Yesterday we executed the sessions well and scored three important points in the damp Sprint today. This afternoon’s Qualifying session was exceptionally close with the entire grid covered by a second in Q1. Lance and Fernando progressed to Q2, but it was a tricky session, especially with the gusty conditions, and we were just a few hundredths shy of making Q3. The target tomorrow is to progress and compete for points. We will work hard tonight and take any opportunities in the race.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Fernando Alonso of Spain driving the (14) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR25 Mercedes leads Liam Lawson of New Zealand driving the (30) Visa Cash App Racing Bulls VCARB 02 on track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Fernando Alonso of Spain driving the (14) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR25 Mercedes leads Liam Lawson of New Zealand driving the (30) Visa Cash App Racing Bulls VCARB 02 on track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Williams
The Sprint did not go to plan for Williams. Sainz was always in data collecting mode, after opting for a pit lane start having qualified P20. Hopefully he did manage to collect some information for the team, as they did not have much else to show for their efforts. Albon was running well on the cusp of the top 10, but unluckily picked up some debris from Bortoleto’s spinning Kick Sauber, which dropped him to the back of the field.
The Grove-based team did not have a particularly strong Qualifying, either, Sainz continuing to struggle as he managed 15th on the grid. Albon was a few places higher in P12, but many of their rivals have cars starting in the top 10.
Alex Albon, Sprint: 17th, Qualifying: 12th, 1:10.053
“Overall, the Sprint wasn’t great for us. We were not quite able to get points, so I didn’t want to take unnecessary risks. Unfortunately, with the incident at the end, I picked up some damage from debris, and we had to work quickly to turn the car around before qualifying. We had to switch from our new floor back to an older one, which I think cost us some performance. I’m really glad Gabi (Bortoleto) is okay though; that was a big crash. Qualifying was then quite tricky. We made some good changes and I think we did make a step forward with the car, but you can’t really see it. We still don’t have the balance we’re looking for, and that’s causing us to hurt the tyres. We saw the same thing in the Sprint, so we need to look at that and understand our race pace better because it’s so tight in the midfield right now.”
Carlos Sainz, Sprint: 14th, Qualifying: 15th, 1:10.472
“It’s been tough to find performance in the car this weekend. We struggle in these types of longer corners and, even though we’ve been playing around a lot with setup, I haven’t managed to find something I’m happy with and I’ve not been comfortable in the car. Tomorrow the pecking order is quite out of sync, so we’ll see what we can do with strategy to try to get into the points. I’m always more optimistic for Sunday, so we’ll keep fighting until the end.”
James Vowles, Team Principal
“The long and short of it is we’re not competitive enough here. We’ve seen that across two days and two qualifying sessions. It’s a very close field but we’re not at the sharp end of it. We’ve tried quite a few different setup directions between the two cars, but I don’t think we found the sweet spot yet. Irrespective, this is a race that can throw up surprises, so we need to keep our noses clean on the opening laps and take every opportunity that comes towards us.”
Gallery2SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Twelfth placed qualifier Alexander Albon of Thailand and Williams looks on during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)Close image galleryPrevious imageNext image
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SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 08: Twelfth placed qualifier Alexander Albon of Thailand and Williams looks on during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 08, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)
Pirelli
Mario Isola, Motorsport Director
“The best track conditions that we saw at the end of yesterday were completely reset by the rain that fell overnight and this morning. So compared to yesterday, track evolution wasn’t progressive.
“As a result, lap times today were slower not only than yesterday but also than the equivalent sessions last year. A contributory factor today was also the gusting wind, which was a real challenge in terms of car balance.
“In qualifying though, we finally got to see the performance gap between medium and soft, which was estimated at around two to three tenths of a second, in line with our simulations. That gap wasn’t clear yesterday, also because of the reduced number of laps run on the softest tyre.
“Once more we head into a weekend where there’s not going to be a lot of time difference between a one-stop and a two-stop strategy. If going for a one-stopper, the best choice would seem to be soft and medium: even though the difference is quite marginal due to the wear rates. The low track temperatures make it trickier to bring the hard tyre into the correct temperature window, and this compound is also more affected by a lack of grip from the surface here.
“Starting on the soft tyre, a reasonably early pit stop for the medium: roughly between laps 24 and 30. The rear wear rate seen on the C4 today is enough to have an impact on traction, so this requires careful management. It wouldn’t have been a surprise to see drivers struggle with this in the sprint race this morning, had it not been for the red flag stoppage that allowed a switch to the medium.
“The two-stopper options tomorrow also include the softest compounds, starting with the C4 to gain an initial advantage, before moving to the C3 for the middle stint, and then leaving the choice between soft and medium open for the run to the flag.”
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