Pole-sitter Lando Norris’s rain-soaked path to the world championship opened up in a pinball qualifying session for the Brazilian Grand Prix when Max Verstappen managed only the 12th fastest time.
With a five-place grid penalty, the Dutchman will start from 17th on the grid, though crashed cars above him may not be repairable in time and he is likely to be somewhat boosted up the order.
As for Norris, it was a pole position to dream of on the sodden Interlagos track, with Mercedes’ George Russell second quickest and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda a surprise third.
Norris must now capitalise emphatically on what presents itself as a momentum-shifting opportunity in the title contest.
Verstappen, who heads the standings by 44 points with four races remaining, was partly a victim of bad luck. He was on course to improve his time as seconds ticked down in Q2, only for Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll to tumble off track and cause a red flag that brought a premature end to proceedings.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk
