Lando Norris’ bid to win his maiden F1 world championship was dealt a seismic boost in Interlagos after he took a brilliant pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix, with rival Max Verstappen a shock 17th.
Verstappen was eliminated from a chaotic rain-hit qualifying on Sunday morning, carried over a day after Saturday’s running was abandoned due to bad weather.
The triple world champion had been on course to improve his time in the wet conditions but Lance Stroll’s crash resulted in the third of an astonishing five red flags, and Q2 did not resume.
It left a furious Verstappen in 12th and, with the Dutchman to serve a five-place engine penalty, he will be way down the order for the 71-lap race later on Sunday.
Follow all the latest updates from the Brazilian Grand Prix: