São Paulo Grand Prix qualifying results

Mercedes has a chance to clinch the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship if results go their way in Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix.

However, with wet weather in the forecast, fans could be in for a chaotic race once the lights go out tomorrow.

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Kimi Antonelli was fastest in FP2 on Friday, and was just 0.082 seconds off the pace set by McLaren’s Lando Norris during the first hour of practice, as Mercedes again showed strong one-lap pace over the first two practice sessions. That could bode well for the Silver Arrows during today’s qualifying session, as qualifying simulations show Mercedes is indeed the team to beat for pole position, with Red Bull and Ferrari just behind them.

Race pace is a much different story, as F1’s simulations indicate that while Mercedes is still in the lead, Red Bull is just 0.03 seconds off their pace, with McLaren 0.07 seconds off the pace, and Ferrari 0.10 seconds off the pace.

Adding more intrigue is a double dose of grid drops and weather. George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen are all taking grid penalties for new engine components, with Verstappen set to start the São Paulo Grand Prix from the back of the grid while Russell takes a five-place penalty.

And with Sunday’s forecast calling for rain, anything can happen when the lights go out … as is often the case at Interlagos.

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So who will take pole position? Find out with us as qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix gets rolling at 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday!

Here is the provisional grid for the São Paulo Grand Prix, which will be filled in throughout the hour.

Note: These are the provisional results. Several drivers — including Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, and Verstappen — will take a grid drop tomorrow due to power unit changes.

Here is how the qualifying hour unfolded. All updates are in Eastern time.

3:15: We’ve got both Albon and Alonso in Q3 which is fun, and Alonso is out first.

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3:10: The start of Q3 will be delayed according to race control.

3:08: On Russell’s radio: “Weather update, looks very dark now.”

3:07: Russell, Lawson, Hadjar, Leclerc, Hülkenberg, Albon, Alonso, Bearman, Norris, and Antonelli are the ten drivers through to Q3, in that order.

3:07: Race control indicates that Q2 will not resume.

3:06: Hamilton, Piastri, Câmara, Lindblad, Sainz, and Verstappen are the six in the drop zone right now. Verstappen did not start, and Lindblad did have an issue.

3:04: Red flag is out as Câmara has crashed.

3:02: Russell gets to P1, Alonso back to P3 after his second push lap on the Inters.

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3:02: And now it is Lawson who gets to P1 with a 1:27.478, which is 1.652 seconds ahead of Bearman.

3:01: Alonso gets to P3 on the Inters. Then Bearman to P1 on the Inters.

2:59: Some drivers are making the switch to Inters. Russell, Lawson, Hadjar, Alonso, Câmara, and Bearman so far.

2:57: Halfway through Q2 and Câmara, Lindblad, Sainz, Bearman, Albon, and Verstappen are the six in the drop zone. Lindblad has parked up, reporting a problem, and is stopped at Turn 5.

2:52: Russell reports that the conditions could be ripe for intermediates, but the full wet tires are performing “quote ok.”

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2:49: Looks like Max is done, he’s out of the car. Makes sense given that he is facing a grid drop, no sense taking any risks with these conditions.

2:48: Replays showing Câmara’s big spin in Q1, but he somehow is able to continue.

2:45: Norris, Russell, Verstappen, Hamilton, Hülkenberg, Hadjar, Lawson, Alonso, Leclerc, Antonelli, Piastri, Lindblad, Câmara, Sainz, Bearman, and Albon are the 16 through to Q2, in that order.

2:44: Colapinto, Gasly, Stroll, Bottas, Pérez, and Bortoleto are the six eliminated at the end of Q1. Câmara gets through on debut in P13.

2:43: Bottas cannot get through, he’s in P18 at the checkered flag.

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2:41: Bortoleto is out after that incident. Pérez, Sainz, Stroll, Bottas, and Colapinto also in the drop zone as the clock approaches zero.

2:39: Camara gets to P12, Alonso in P4. This is going to be chaos at the end of Q1.

2:38: Bearman goes P1 with 4:30 left.

2:37: Five minutes left in Q1 and the drivers in the drop zone are: Stroll, Colapinto, Bearman, Antonelli, Bortoleto, and Camara.

2:35: Bottas is back up to P5.

2:35: Bortoleto finds the barrier, but he keeps the car moving so he is not out just yet.

2:34: Bottas jumps back to P7. Track is drying ever so slightly.

2:33: Alonso goes P1 for the moment with a 1:36.930. Stunning to do that in that absolute tractor of a car, even in the wet.

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2:31: Verstappen goes P1 with a 1:37.932.

2:31: So much for that Hülkenberg goes P1 with a 1:40.512.

2:30: Bottas goes P1 with a 1:42.314. Pérez then nips him with a 1:40.881. Cadillac on the front row nobody move.

2:28: “A lot of aquaplaning” is the report from Gasly. “Aquaplaning everywhere,” says Alonso.

2:27: Green light, Bottas leads them out.

2:26: However … rain is picking up. “It’s pretty heavy out there,” reports Piastri from pit lane.

2:24: After a very long delay, the session is about to resume. Cars are lining up on the full wet tires.

1:31: Safety Car now heading out.

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1:31: This does not sound encouraging:

1:22: Medical Car on the track assessing conditions.

1:18: Bearman has been given a formal reprimand by the stewards.

1:17: Bearman under investigation for reversing in the pit lane.

1:12: It’s wet everywhere, apparently:

1:08: Audi tells Hülkenberg that they expect the rain to last for around ten minutes.

1:03: Red flag. Session stopped.

1:02: “I’m already aquaplaning,” says Antonelli.

1:01: Green light in Interlagos, but a few drivers have pulled over in pit lane, perhaps to make the change to the full wet tires.

12:59: Whole lotta inters on the cars as the drivers queue up for the start of Q1.

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12:57: Rain has returned, Red Bull tells Hadjar “rain is coming” and that early in Q1 could be the “best part of the session.”

12:53: James Hinchcliffe’s prediction for quali? “Chaos.”

Chris Medland goes with Antonelli to take pole.

12:41: Great segment with Lindblad on the pre-qualifying show, including a discussion of his special Diwali-themed helmet for the weekend.

12:30: If you’re looking to chat during qualifying, we have our game thread up and running on the SB Nation app as well as the F1 community on SBNation.com.

12:29: Confirmation that Hamilton will be at the back of the grid after a power unit change:

12:28: Rain has ended but the track is soaked right now.