Post by : Meena Ariff

Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes will line up alongside British driver Lando Norris on the front row for Saturday's 100km sprint race at Interlagos. Norris, victorious in last year’s sprint amid fierce competition with Max Verstappen, achieved his first sprint pole of the season, maintaining his robust form. Currently, he leads the championship by one point over Oscar Piastri, with four Grands Prix and two additional sprints remaining.

The sprint race awards eight points to the winner and additional points to the top eight finishers. Norris remarked, “We did the job we needed to do, which was to be fastest today.” He recognized that track conditions were trickier compared to Mexico, admitting he didn’t feel completely at ease but was pleased with the outcome. He also cautioned about possible rain and strong winds anticipated on Saturday, advising teams to be prepared.

Piastri, who qualified third, appeared optimistic, commenting, “We can definitely fight with what we’ve got, and there’s obviously a lot more points on Sunday.” George Russell will begin the race from fourth position for Mercedes, returning to the venue where he secured his first win in 2022, while Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso secured fifth after clocking the fastest time in the second qualifying session.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was placed sixth but voiced frustration regarding the performance of his car, describing it as “completely broken” and “undriveable.” Team boss Laurent Mekies confirmed Verstappen’s dissatisfaction and acknowledged the performance issues.

Lewis Hamilton fell short of reaching the final qualifying session, finishing in 11th place after running out of time for a last flying lap in phase two. He also faced scrutiny from the stewards for insufficient slowing during yellow flags, which contributed to his visible frustration. His teammate Charles Leclerc, despite causing double yellow flags due to a spin, managed to qualify in eighth position.

The top ten qualifiers for the sprint race include Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli, Oscar Piastri, George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen, Lance Stroll, Charles Leclerc, Isack Hadjar, and Nico Hulkenberg.

#Global News #Sports News