## Sao Paulo Grand Prix Qualifying Highlights

The **Sao Paulo Grand Prix** qualifying session was marked by chaos and multiple crashes, resulting in **Lando Norris** from McLaren taking **pole position**. The session began at **15:30 GMT** and was notable for the absence of Red Bull's **Max Verstappen**, who qualified **12th** but will start the race in **17th** due to a five-place grid penalty.

### Key Performances

- **George Russell** from Mercedes secured **second place**, while **Yuki Tsunoda** of RB finished third.
- Notable drivers such as **Esteban Ocon** from Alpine and RB’s **Liam Lawson** followed closely behind.

The session faced significant interruptions, with **five red flags** caused by heavy crashes. The incidents involved drivers including:

- Franco Colapinto (Williams)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Alex Albon (Williams)

Norris nearly faced elimination himself during the first session, only managing to secure his place in the top 15 right before the end.

> "There was a lot going on. I was struggling a lot at the start of the session... A little surprised to be on pole but a good result for us," Norris commented post-qualifying.

### Verstappen's Frustration

Verstappen expressed his frustration regarding the timing of red flags, believing they hindered his chances to qualify better. He stated:

> "I find it unbelievable... The car goes into the wall, broken. It’s clearly destroyed... It needs to be a straight red."

Despite his complaints, a review indicated that Verstappen's performance may not have been impacted as significantly as he thought. He was in **10th place** when Stroll's crash occurred, but soon dropped to **11th** after Charles Leclerc crossed the line.

Leclerc ultimately qualified sixth, while Albon, who had initially been in second before his crash, ended up seventh. 

### Race Day Uncertainty

With two cars from Aston Martin and Williams damaged, it remains uncertain if they can be repaired in time for the race. If not, decisions will need to be made regarding which drivers can participate.

As anticipation builds for the race later today, fans are eager to see how this chaotic qualifying will influence the race dynamics.