SAO PAULO: Lando Norris set up a chance to pad his one-point lead in Formula 1 by securing pole position for the sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday.
Of his title rivals, McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri will start third and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will be sixth.
“It was difficult and we did a good job,” Norris said on Friday.
Norris is coming off a win in Mexico City and leads the driver standings by one point over Piastri. Verstappen was 36 points back.
For the sprint pole, Norris beat Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli by only 0.097 seconds and Piastri was just 0.185s behind.
“We did the job we needed to do which was to be fastest today,” Norris said.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was rapt with the results. Norris and Piastri were also 1-2 in the first practice on Friday.
“The mood is very positive,” Stella said. “We have what is needed. We have a fast car, two fast drivers, a team that is prepared and determined and we definitely will keep the fight going until the last corner in Abu Dhabi.”
Piastri has struggled lately; he’s winless in five races and has not reached the podium since Monza in Italy two months ago when he finished third.
Verstappen, who aims to become the fourth driver to win five world titles, knows how to win in Brazil after victories in 2019, 2023 and 2024, when he fought from 17th at the start.
“We are very excited by the idea that we could be the one that are attempting to kind of stop Verstappen’s dominance,” Stella said.
The Dutchman has shown great poise at Interlagos, a track featuring climbs and drops with changes of gradient. The middle sector has slow corners where aerodynamic downforce can make the difference.
The track is also renowned for its dramatic changes in weather. Rain is expected toward the end of Saturday and throughout Sunday. A year ago, the qualifying was canceled and moved to Sunday due to torrential downpours.
“It was a good day for us, but we will see tomorrow,” Piastri said with a smile. “it is going to be raining so everybody bring their rain jacket.”
Norris grabs the sprint pole at the Brazilian GP from title rivals
https://arab.news/gad7a
Norris grabs the sprint pole at the Brazilian GP from title rivals
- “It was difficult and we did a good job,” Norris said on Friday.
- Norris is coming off a win in Mexico City and leads the driver standings by one point over Piastri. Verstappen was 36 points back
Bologna snatch 2-1 win over Parma to reach Italian Cup quarterfinals, will face Milan or Lazio
- Castro headed in a cross from Emil Holm in the 89th minute
- The home side leveled shortly before halftime
BOLOGNA, Italy: Substitute Santiago Castro’s last-gasp goal sent Bologna into the Italian Cup quarterfinals as the defending champion came from behind to beat Parma 2-1 on Thursday.
Bologna, which won for the competition for the first time in 52 years last season, will face either AC Milan or Lazio, who were playing each other later.
Castro headed in a cross from Emil Holm in the 89th minute.
Serie A struggler Parma had taken a surprise lead in the 13th minute when Adrian Benedyczak ran onto a through ball from Mathias Løvik and slotted past Federico Ravaglia.
But the home side leveled shortly before halftime. Jonathan Rowe’s initial attempt hit the post but the English winger controlled the rebound and fired it home for his first goal since joining Bologna in August.
There was another positive note for Bologna as Ciro Immobile came on as a late substitute for his first appearance since a thigh injury in August.
