Brazilian GP qualifying results: Verstappen on pole as rain and thunder forces red flag | F1 | Sport

Max Verstappen took pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix in strange circumstances as rain and thunder wreaked havoc towards the end of qualifying. The three-time world champion will start at the front of the grid after beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by three tenths, but his pole lap was only confirmed after race control were forced to abandon the session.

The FIA red-flagged qualifying with four minutes and 19 seconds remaining after the conditions changed dramatically, with dark ominous clouds hovering above the circuit for half an hour before the heavens opened. But that didn’t matter for the Red Bull star, who had got out of the pits early and punched in the quickest lap time, which was seven tenths slower than his Q2 lap time.

Lance Stroll produced a surprise after putting his Aston Martin on the second row in P3, with Fernando Alonso behind him in fourth.

Lewis Hamilton could only manage fifth after being hampered by the rain and he starts alongside Lando Norris, who looked equipped to challenge for pole before a scrappy Q3 lap. George Russell is eighth but still may face a grid drop if he is penalised by the FIA.

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