Lando Norris Takes Pole in Sao Paulo, Extends F1 Championship Lead

Lando Norris is in prime position to extend his Formula One championship lead after securing pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix Sprint race. The McLaren driver, leading the standings by a single point over teammate Oscar Piastri, conquered the qualifying session on Friday.

Mercedes' Italian rookie, Kimi Antonelli, will join Norris on the front row for Saturday's race at Interlagos. The sprint race, offering eight points to the winner, adds crucial weight to the championship standings as rain looms over the Saturday forecast.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen faces challenges as he qualified sixth, expressing dissatisfaction with his car's performance. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also struggled, failing to make the top-10 shootout and qualifying 11th after being called to the stewards for yellow flag infringement.