Norris takes a crazy wet pole in Brazil and Alonso shines in the rain

The classification of F1 Brazilian GP 2026 It was absolute madness. One of those epic fights against the clock that mark so much history in a circuit as spectacular as it is iconic like Interlagos. Almost an hour and a half later, due to heavy rain that hit the José Carlos Pace Autodromethe classification resumed and a relentless fight against the water and a very delicate track began, in which the differences between cars were reduced and hands could emerge. And in that context, Lando Norris signed his 20th pole in F1 against George Russell (he had a 5-place penalty) and the new champion, Kimi Antonelli.

All this, in a classification in which drivers like Hulkenberg, Lawson, Alonso either Albon They shone with their own light. Also Sainz, but the Madrid native was harmed by an accident involving Camara in Q2 that left him unable to finish his attack.

Liam Lawson’s classification deserves special mentionwho has not yet confirmed his seat for 2027 with R.B. and what sounds like giving way to the young man Tsolov. In that context, he exhibited his quality by being 5th with a Racing Bulls, thus occupying 3rd position on the grid due to sanctions to Russel and Leclerc. Hülkenberg also showed brutal talent, always among the first when conditions were most difficult in Q1, and finally finishing 6th to occupy 4th place on the grid this Sunday. AND Alonso. Alonso’s performance with a car from the back of the grid was also exceptional.

Fernando I had to wait for the rain to appear if I wanted to have any option. In the dry, I had the slowest car in the last sector due to the enormous deficit in top speed of the Honda engine on the climb towards the finish line, of pure acceleration. Thus, it was very difficult for me to aspire to Q2. But the downpour in Interlagos changed everything. AND Fernando Alonso he took advantage of it.

He began to demonstrate this in Q1 in which, when the session resumed, the track was very complicated. It was very easy to make a mistake. And there, in the wet, the dance of an Asturian began, once again making it clear that his hands are still intact. He surpassed Verstappen with the best time at that moment by no less than 1 second to take first.

And round after round, Fernando I continued embroidering it. The track was improving, drying little by little because the rain had stopped. AND Fernando He was still in the Top-5 every lap he took. He got into Q3. Q2 seemed like a more complicated battle, since the water continued to give everyone a break. And the less wet it was, the more the performance of each car counted again. And there, Alonso continued without failing. But everything was going to be decided in the final moments.

Fernando redoubled the bet with his team. I had nothing to lose: He was the first to mount the intermediate tire and that gave him more opportunities to nail the turn. And he did it.

Timing everyone’s return was essential. Marking the turn at the end could benefit anyone due to the better condition of the track. And with 43 seconds left, Fernando had done the job. He was 7th, but there were still cars that had to attack. And there, an accident for debutant Rafael Camara opened the doors to Q3 for him.

The Brazilian driver went to the wall and Q2 was going to end there. This clearly harmed a Carlos Sainz who was flying on the track at that moment. He could fight for Q3 with a Williams that in the dry was very far from that goal, but he was unable to do so due to that incident, which left him without that last lap and in 15th (13th on the grid).

Q3 with intermissions: the final attack

Finally, Fernando Alonso He played his cards very well. He was first in line at the pit lane to go out on the attack, aware that the rain was about to arrive. And it arrived just before all the drivers took to the track. If Alonso achieved a good time taking advantage of that first position on the track, with no one in front, he could aspire to something big. But against him he had that the green car had a hard time putting the tires in the correct temperature window. The track had worsened with the rain and had a challenging port ahead.

However, The man from Oviedo was seen to suffer a little more on that lap than superior cars and finished 9th.although on the starting grid this Sunday he gains a position due to a penalty of 10 places over Leclerc, who had been 4th, and the Oviedo rider will start 8th.

“On the first lap I had very cold tires, and on the second lap I had no energy because I spent it on the first lap, since I thought it would only be one lap. I have to learn from this“said Fernando, sure that he could have opted for a better result in that context.

However, eighth place is a good position to go for the points. I would have signed it two months before this Grand Prix. And be careful, because this Sunday it could rain all day. Perhaps that translates into soporific waits for conditions to improve. Or perhaps, in a new madness in Interlagos.

Russell’s anger; Verstappen and Hamilton, to come back

The pole of Norris It has a lot of credit on Lando’s part. But Mercedes also lost it, with Russell shouting expletives over the radio when he didn’t understand why his team had stopped him when he was on pole lap.

In the decisive moments of Q3, George came with a lap 7 tenths better than Landau, but he found Albon in front of him. He radioed for Alex to move away, and his team told George to abort the turn instead of continuing to attack to attack in the next one. But then it started to rain more. He could no longer improve and had to lose 5 places due to a penalty for changing engine elements. But at least, he wanted the honorary success of being the best in classification. He didn’t understand why they gave him that order.

Russell is one of many drivers sanctioned. Lewis Hamilton will start last (22nd) due to a double engine change after suffering problems in Free Practice 3. Before him will be Pérez, with a 30-place penalty, and Max Verstappen who will start 20th due to a change in elements of his power unit. In fact, Max didn’t even want to go out to Q2 so as not to take excessive risks with his car, knowing that no matter what he did, he would start at the back.

That generates enormous expectation in the race. Both are way out of their natural position. Two of the best drivers and cars on the grid will start at the back.

Everyone remembers now Max’s epic comeback in 2024, when starting 17th he won a racepainting one of his best works. And also Lewis comebacks of 2021when he won after starting 10th on Sunday and went from 20th to 5th in 24 laps of the previous day’s sprint race.

Leclerc will also look for a comeback after losing 10 positions due to changes in his potential unit (from 4th to 14th).

Above, Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli They have it all in their face with most of their opponents leaving so far behind. But at Interlagos, you never know. Rain and any interruption can cause chaos in which it is impossible to predict anything.