Lando Norris put an early marker in the sand as he stormed to Sprint pole at Interlagos with McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri close in third. While their other title rival Max Verstappen is back in sixth, his Red Bull’s race pace suggests he remains a potent threat heading into the weekend…
Norris continues to hold edge over Piastri
Lando Norris has had the momentum in the championship fight ever since he pulled over with mechanical failure in Zandvoort to lose second place and the 18 points that would have gone with it.
And that fine form continued into Brazil, with the Briton looking assured throughout Sprint Qualifying on his way to his first Sprint pole of the season.
/16x9%20single%20image%20-%202026-02-19T185356.642.webp?ssl=1 "What we learned from Day 2 of the second 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain")
/16x9%20single%20image%20-%202026-02-18T155544.362.webp?ssl=1 "George Russell tops Day 1 of second pre-season test in Bahrain ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc")
/PRACTICE%20DEBRIEF%20V1%20(4).webp?ssl=1&description=Can%20Lando%20Norris%20rise%20above%20his%20rivals%20in%20Sao%20Paulo%3F){kind=link}