“This is crazy”: Weather chaos at Verstappen’s pole

In qualifying, which ended early, the three-time Formula 1 world champion set the fastest lap in his Red Bull at just the right time on Friday before a heavy downpour flooded the legendary circuit in Interlagos. “It's really crazy, this weather,” said Verstappen during the interview, which was conducted in a dry garage. Nobody wanted to leave. “I've never experienced anything like that,” said Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who finished second.

The Aston Martin duo Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso took third and fourth place, followed by record world champion and honorary citizen of Brazil Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes.

Verstappen was going strong. © ANSA / Sebastiao Moreira

It started late – and still dry. But the route had to be cleaned again. Also to the delight of the pilots, who set out the starting grid for the Grand Prix on Sunday (18.00 p.m. CET) after just one hour of free practice. It will be the last weekend of the year for Brazil with a sprint race on Saturday, so qualification was already on the agenda the day before.

And suddenly it's "night" For Verstappen, things didn't seem to be going as usual as world champions at first. “My car jumps like a kangaroo,” complained the 26-year-old Dutchman. George Russell, the sprint and race winner in Brazil a year ago, initially set the fastest time. And lo and behold: Verstappen quickly tamed the Red Bull and was only 96 thousandths of a second slower.

The dark clouds now became even darker. Nobody wanted to lose time in the fight for the ten best starting positions. As soon as it rained, good racing times would no longer be possible. Verstappen went straight ahead and set the fastest time. And what appeared in the sky was frightening. The fans in the stands put on their rain jackets. “It’s night,” Alonso radioed to the pits. The wind also increased. “It’s totally strange,” said Leclerc. Everyone was in the pits - then came the red flags and the end of the session just four minutes before the end. Sao Paulo, qualifying results 1. Max Verstappen (NED) Red Bull 1:10,727 mins. 2. Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari +0,294 sec. 3. Lance Stroll (CAN) Aston Martin +0,617 4. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin +0,660 5. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes +0,742 6. George Russell (GBR) Mercedes +0,863 * 7. Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren +1,260 8. Carlos Sainz Jr. (ESP) Ferrari +1,262 9. Sergio Perez (MEX) Red Bull +1,594 10. Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren (no time in the final) 11. Nico Hülkenberg (GER) Haas 1:10,547 min. 12. Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine 1:10,562 * 13. Pierre Gasly (FRA) Alpine 1:10,567 * 14. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Haas 1:10,723 15. Alexander Albon (THA) Williams 1:10,840 16. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) AlphaTauri 1:10,837 17. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) AlphaTauri 1:10,843 18. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo 1:10,955 19. Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams 1:11,035 20. Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo 1:11,275

* Russell, Gasly and Ocon were each given two positions as a penalty. Russell starts from P8, Ocon from P14, Gasly from P15.

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“This is crazy”: Weather chaos at Verstappen’s pole

Under the almost black afternoon sky of São Paulo, Max Verstappen did not let the almost frightening weather conditions slow him down.

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