What the teams said – Qualifying in Brazil

McLaren

Norris is a wet weather master, and as soon as the rain fell, he came right into the reckoning for pole. He kept his Qualifying clean, pumping in fast lap after fast lap and nailed his final effort before the rain got heavier to grab pole. It was a strong effort from him, and he will be hoping for more rain tomorrow – in the dry, Antonelli in P2 could be more of a handful for the McLaren man to deal with. As for Piastri, he was unable to complete his last lap in Q2 due to red flags, missing out on the opportunity to try and progress.

Lando Norris, 1st, 1:27.470

“It was a very tricky Qualifying session, with conditions changing all the time. The priority was to stay calm, understand how the tyres and car were coming up to temperature, and avoid mistakes. I felt confident in the wet from Q1, and I’m pleased we put the lap together when it mattered. This is a track I enjoy, but we know we have not had the pace of Mercedes in the dry, and today the car has not felt quite as strong as it did earlier on in the weekend.

"A big thank you to the team for continuing to work hard and giving me the opportunity to fight for Pole. Today it felt like we had more pace in the wet and on Intermediates. The conditions could make it a challenging race with a bit of everything, so we’ll need to stay focused and make the most of our chances."

Oscar Piastri, 12th, 1:30.369

"Today’s Qualifying was a very tough session, especially at the beginning, when the track was incredibly slippery. It became a little easier towards the end, but the call on tyres was always going to be difficult because I was a long way up the road and there was always a risk that an earlier Red Flag could change things, but we paid the price by missing out on Q3.

"The car felt reasonable in the wet, and we’ve been more competitive and comfortable in the dry this weekend, so it’s disappointing not to have made more of the session. We’ll review what happened and see what the weather and final grid order bring tomorrow. If it’s dry, we look strong; if it’s wet, we’re still decent, but we’ll need to work hard overnight and into the race to make progress up the field."

Andrea Stella, Team Principal

"This Pole Position is a real source of satisfaction. Congratulations to Lando, who, in very difficult conditions, put in an excellent lap at the decisive moment at the start of Q3. The whole team did a good job of managing a very tricky session due to the rapidly changing weather conditions. It’s a shame about Oscar, who was let down by a Red Flag just as he was about to complete a lap that would probably have seen him make the cut in Q2. It was difficult to judge the right moment to switch to Intermediate tyres, and the Red Flag was beyond our control.

“We’ve made a significant effort to bring a package of updates here to Brazil and, from what we’ve seen in the three Free Practice sessions, they’re delivering the performance boost we expected. We’ve made progress, although that doesn’t mean we suddenly have the fastest car.

"Tomorrow’s race will be wide open, with a starting grid very different from the usual one due to the combination of a wet Qualifying session and various penalties. The weather conditions will play a decisive role, and it will be vital not to make any mistakes and to react correctly to whatever happens on the track. Today’s result gives us great motivation to tackle this new challenge: we’ll do everything we can to score valuable points for the championship."

Mercedes

Russell often goes well in the wet, and he was regularly popping into the top spot throughout all three segments of Qualifying. Come Q3 when the inters went on, he grabbed provisional pole on the first round of laps, but then Norris went faster. Russell aborted his second timed run after picking up traffic – and then as the rain intensified, he realised his chance had gone. That left the Briton very frustrated, but with a grid penalty, he starts seventh anyway.

As for the new World Champion, he was in the mix up front but could not quite match his team mate in the wet. But thanks to Russell’s penalty, Antonelli will start from second tomorrow.

Kimi Antonelli, 3rd, 1:28.095

"That was a tricky qualifying session but also good fun. It was my first wet qualifying in Formula One, so I was learning a lot and trying to understand the grip and the lines as the conditions changed. I was probably a little too cautious at times and then made two big mistakes on my final lap in Q3, which was a shame as there was definitely more performance there.

"Starting P2 tomorrow still puts us in a really good position though. I’ve felt very good with the car all weekend, particularly in the dry, and I learned a lot today that will help if we have similar conditions in the race. Whether it is wet or dry, I think we have a good chance, and we’ll be going for the win. We want to clinch the Constructors’ Championship and hopefully we can do so with a strong team result."

George Russell, 2nd, 1:27.674

"Obviously I’m disappointed with how qualifying ended today. We definitely had the pace to take pole position, and in a tricky situation we weren’t able to achieve that. Given the circumstances of last weekend, it would have meant a lot to take pole here. We missed pole by nine milliseconds last week when we didn’t really expect to be in that position, whereas today the car felt strong and I felt like I was putting together laps that were capable of being right at the front.

"We collectively made a misjudgement at the end and that’s frustrating, but these things happen. As a driver, you feel that disappointment very strongly in the moment, but it’s important that we stick together and keep the morale high. There were still plenty of positives in our performance today and, in the bigger picture, it doesn’t change a huge amount. We’ll start P7 tomorrow and we’ve still got a great opportunity to move forward, score some strong points for the team, and hopefully clinch the Constructors’ Championship."

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

"Those were very difficult conditions today and you must take your hat off to the drivers for their collective skill in such treacherous weather. Interlagos can change very quickly, and we saw that throughout the session.

"George had the pace to be on pole today and it is disappointing that he didn’t get the opportunity to finish the job. The call to abort the second lap at the end of Q3 was a real 50-50 decision. He was very slightly up on Norris at that point but was catching Albon and we thought was about to lose time. Without a crystal ball, it was very difficult to know whether to back off and create the space or keep going. In hindsight, with the rain coming on the next lap, we should have kept going but it is very easy to say this after the event. What was most pleasing is that George was very strong throughout and deserved pole position, even if he didn’t get it today.

"Kimi meanwhile did a solid job too in challenging conditions and will start P2 tomorrow. With George’s penalty, we know he has some work to do from further back in P7, but the pace in the car was clear today. We need to execute properly tomorrow and maximise the opportunities we have. With Ferrari starting further back in the field, we know we have an opportunity to clinch the Constructors’ Championship here, but we must focus on deliveringand making the correct decisions."

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

"We made several small changes to the cars overnight and FP3 gave us a useful opportunity to assess those on the hottest track of the weekend so far. We finished P2 and P4 without either driver feeling they had put together a particularly good lap, so we were optimistic that, had qualifying remained dry, that we would have been fighting at the front.

"The rain arrived at the end of FP3 and continued through to qualifying. Conditions were very poor initially and it was right to red flag the session when the heavier rain arrived. Credit to the FIA too for timing the restart well and allowing us to complete the session in sensible conditions before the light deteriorated further.

"We had decent pace on both the extreme Wet and Intermediate tyres, although the balance wasn’t particularly easy for the drivers. The rear was quite weak and that made it difficult to build confidence. We had a close shave with Kimi in Q2 after leaving the switch to Intermediates a lap later than we should have, but ultimately P2 and P4 on the road is a reasonable team result in such tricky conditions.

"George was understandably frustrated not to get the opportunity to challenge Norris for pole. It was a difficult call at the end of his lap, with Albon ahead, as to whether to back off and create space or continue and risk compromising both that lap and the next. Ultimately, the rain intensified and there was no opportunity to improve.

"We’ve still put ourselves in a good position for tomorrow. We’re expecting more rain and that usually means an eventful race here. We’ve got two cars with good pace and, if we execute well, there should be plenty of opportunity to move forward and fight for the podium."

Ferrari

Both Ferrari cars took on a new ICE in Sao Paulo, meaning both Leclerc and Hamilton were set for 10-place grid drops. But then Hamilton’s car started smoking in FP3, leading to the team swapping in another new engine. That meant a back of the grid start for the British driver.

He took part in Qualifying anyway, looking to learn more about the cars in the wet and was having fun, but could not get his final lap in during Q2 due to red flags. Leclerc did make the top 10 shoot-out, winding up fourth which means a P14 start tomorrow.

Lewis Hamilton, 11th, 1:30.001

"It was fun to drive in the rain today and the car felt good, especially in Q1. I always enjoy these conditions and it felt great to be out there having some close battles. It’s a shame for the penalty because I think we had a car that could have fought further up the order, but tomorrow is a new day and today the team did plenty of work getting me to the track in qualifying after what happened in FP3. Starting from the back tomorrow will make things difficult, but hopefully we’ll have similar conditions and plenty of opportunities. We’ll make sure everything is in the right place with the car and I’ll give it everything to make my way forward, do the best job I can for the team and enjoy the race."

Charles Leclerc, 4th, 1:28.289

"It was a really interesting qualifying for us, even if we are not fully satisfied with the position we finished in. Knowing that we would take a 10-place grid penalty, we were willing to be more experimental and try various things with the car in these conditions. We learned a huge amount today, and I think these learnings will be something to capitalise on tomorrow and take with us going forward.

"Starting from P14, we will do everything to fight our way forward, and with rain predicted, let’s see what’s in the cards for us in a hopefully exciting race."

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal

"It was a very long qualifying session, but I think the Race Director handled it in the right way, as at times the conditions were truly extreme. The positive aspect on our side is that we were competitive in the wet from the very start.

"We knew we would have to take a penalty before the end of the season and, also taking the weather forecast into account, we decided to take it here with both drivers, because Interlagos is a track where we believe it is possible to move up the order. Therefore, so far, we have approached the weekend with the race very much in mind, including in terms of tyre management.

"Tomorrow will certainly be a challenge, but there will also be plenty of opportunities, particularly if the weather remains unpredictable, which looks likely. We have seen in the past that it is possible to make up a lot of places here when starting from the back. We will have to be ready to seize every opportunity."

Racing Bulls

With both Racing Bulls cars in the top 10 in practice, they looked on for another strong Saturday. But in Q2, disaster befell Lindblad, when he was told to park up with an issue. He managed to pull off behind some barriers, thus negating the need for any yellow or red flags which was clever thinking. Lawson though made the top 10 for the team, and grabbed a brilliant P5. That becomes third on the grid when penalties are applied, and gives the Kiwi racer a huge chance of a decent result at a time when he is fighting for his F1 seat.

Liam Lawson, 5th, 1:28.321

"It's been a really good day for us. I had a very strong car throughout Qualifying, which is a big positive for the team. I had to back off on my final push lap because I was too close to Alonso, which was a shame as I think there was potentially more time to find. I’m really happy to be starting P3 in a strong position to make the most of the opportunities in tomorrow’s race. I wouldn’t mind seeing some rain tomorrow, but we know we have a quick car in both conditions, so I’m looking forward to it either way."

Arvid Lindblad, 14th, 1:31.687

"It's a shame to end Qualifying this way. Unfortunately, I had to stop the car due to an issue with the Power Unit, which we'll investigate with the team later on tonight. Since the beginning of Q1, I've been feeling really good and thoroughly enjoying being in the car. I believe there would've been more to come had I been able to continue building through Q2 and Q3. Although I'd already had some experience running in wet weather in Malaysia and Singapore, I think this was my first time really pushing the car to its limits in these conditions. It's important to focus on the fact we're competitive, the car is fast, and Liam and the team have done a great job today. Let's see what tomorrow brings, but I'm confident that if we have a clean race, we can make up some ground and fight for points."

Tim Goss, Chief Technical Officer

"Overall, it's been an amazing wet Qualifying session for the team today, but of course we have mixed emotions. Following Friday's Practice Sessions, we thought we were competitive, but felt there was a little more to come from the car. We now understand our Austin GP aerodynamic upgrade a little better and managed to extract another small step in performance from it, committing to the change for today. Car balance still needed improving in Sector 2, and we managed to address this and make improvements with setup changes over night. In FP3, we showed this had all come together, and we were pleased with our competitiveness in the dry.

"Qualifying was expected to be wet, and after some heavy downpours, the sessions started with the use of the full wet tyre, moving towards the intermediate tyres as the heavy rain held off. The whole package of the car, Power Unit and drivers were exceptional. We knew that if we kept everything clean, avoided mistakes and were on the right tyre at the right time, we would be able to progress through the early stages. As it turned out, we were comfortably quick all the way through Qualifying. Unfortunately, Arvid's Q2 session was curtailed with a mechanical failure. Without this, he looked to be on course to make the Q3 cut-off and a top ten start. We will have a solution for Sunday and are still confident of a successful race. Liam showed his undoubted skill in the wet, and was somewhat frustrated not to get even more out of the car after encountering traffic on his final lap in Q3. It was an impressive session in tricky conditions. His reward is a start on the second row in P3. The race is likely to be wet, and following today's performance we feel we're in a strong position for a points finish."

Audi

It was a mixed bag for Audi on Saturday. Bortoleto looked quick in FP3, but the Brazilian was one of the first to crash in Q1 in treacherous conditions down at Turn 12. He slid over the grass and hit the barriers, damaging his rear wing. Although he managed to make it back to the pits, the damage was too severe to get him back out. Hulkenberg though used all his experience to keep the car on track, making it all the way to Q3. He grabbed sixth, which becomes a very positive P4 for the Grand Prix.

Nico Hulkenberg, 6th, 1:28.668

“Going into qualifying, I just wanted to give it my best shot. I've raced here quite a few times, so I know the circuit well, although missing yesterday's running was obviously not ideal. The key was to keep it clean in very tricky conditions. We had a good session this morning and I felt confident straight away during qualifying, both on the full wets and the intermediates, which allowed me to put together some good laps.

“There is still a big job ahead of us: it's not going to be easy, especially with a wet race expected tomorrow. We'll need to stay sharp, remain focused and aim to bring home the best possible result.”

Gabriel Bortoleto, 22nd, 1:41.564

“It’s been a tough qualifying for me, and obviously not the way I wanted it to go. I locked up early on at turn 12, went straight into the grass and could not stop the car from hitting the wall. Unfortunately, that resulted in rear wing damage and, eventually, and end to my session. Still, I want to thank my mechanics for having tried to repair my car in time to get back to track. Tomorrow is another day, so I want to clear my head and focus on making the most of the race.”

Allan McNish, Racing Director

“First of all, my heart goes out to Gabi, who had been so quick throughout the weekend. Conditions were extremely difficult in qualifying, and unfortunately he made a small mistake, which was enough to bring his session to an end. However, knowing his strength of character, I am sure he will be fighting back tomorrow.

“On the other side of the garage, Nico delivered another fantastic performance. His team gave him a great car, and he once again demonstrated his pace in the wet, showing why he is the Regenmeister, the rain master. Qualifying sixth overall and moving up to fourth on the grid following penalties for other drivers is a well-deserved reward for him and the team. “Overall, it is our best qualifying performance to date, and we are very much looking forward to tomorrow’s race.”

Red Bull

Verstappen was always starting from the back after taking on a raft of new PU components, so he took part in Q1 and then did not come back out, choosing to save wet tyres for tomorrow in case they are needed. But the Dutchman looked strong in the wet and in the dry FP3 session, so he will be one to watch from the back.

Hadjar was complaining on the radio in final practice, calling his car “undriveable” at one point. In the rain he kept his car on track and grabbed seventh, which becomes P5 when grid penalties are applied.

Max Verstappen, 16th, No time set in Q2

“We knew coming into today that Qualifying would be a little different for us given the grid penalty. Nevertheless, FP3 and Qualifying gave us a better understanding of the car and how to get it into the best possible window for tomorrow. Q1 went well and we were competitive, but with the amount of standing water on track and knowing we would be starting from the back, there was no reason to take unnecessary risks.

"Tomorrow will be a challenge. With overtake mode rather than DRS this year, making our way through the field might not be as straightforward as in previous seasons. But I’ll do everything I can to move forward and score as many points as possible. We’ve come through difficult situations before, so let’s see what we can do.”

Isack Hadjar, 7th, 1:28.763

“We took a slightly cautious approach in Q1, but made it through comfortably and showed strong pace in Q2, where we were third fastest. I felt confident going into Q3 and believed we had a real opportunity to fight for a top-three position. We decided to go out towards the end of the session, but the rain got heavier and the track conditions became increasingly difficult. Being one of the last cars on track ultimately worked against us, as there was very little grip and much more aquaplaning than we had anticipated.

"It feels like a missed opportunity because the pace was there, but the car is still competitive and P5 gives us a solid starting position for tomorrow. Hopefully the conditions allow us to race, and we’ll do everything we can to fight for a podium finish.”

Laurent Mekies, Team Principal

“It’s been a busy day here in São Paulo, with plenty of work going on behind the scenes. The Team made a number of changes overnight, and Max’s performance in FP3 was an encouraging indication of the progress we had made. With the power unit change and the resulting grid penalty, we knew Qualifying would require a different approach for Max, particularly in the wet conditions. The focus was on learning as much as possible about the car while avoiding unnecessary risks in those tricky conditions.

"Isack secured P5 on the grid after the various penalties were applied, which gives him a solid starting position for tomorrow, although we know he was hoping for a little more after a very strong Q2. There is still work to do, but we now have a clearer understanding of where we stand and where we need to improve.

"Tomorrow will be a challenging race, particularly for Max starting from the back, but we know how unpredictable racing in Brazil can be. We will stay focused on ourselves, make the most of every opportunity and give both Max and Isack the best possible chance to move forward.”

Haas

Camara faced an incredibly tough ask to compete in his first Qualifying in such wet conditions. He span off early on and hit the barriers, damaging his front wing but the Brazilian kept his composure, made it back to the pits and came back out. He set a good enough time to make Q2, but towards the end of the session he missed his braking point, locking up and going straight on across the grass and into the barriers. However, with so many grid penalties, he will start 11th.

Bearman also went off at one point, but he recovered to make the top 10, and inherits P6. From there, he will be hoping for a big haul of points as he keeps an eye on rival Hulkenberg ahead – Haas and Audi fighting for seventh in the standings.

Oliver Bearman, 8th, 1:29.831

“It was certainly a crazy session. I learned a lot from my first rodeo here two years ago, and I, as well as the team, did a much better job this time around on the wet tyre, when to push and when to cool. We did well, and it’s a shame about Q3 as compared to our competitors, we just struggled to put the tyres in the correct window, so I didn’t have any grip, and then it was game over. I’m happy with the job that we did, there’s a bit more out there, but it’s okay, as we’ll get them tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it, getting a bit more rhythm in the rain, and we had good pace last time out in the wet – so hopefully that comes back and we can do our very best tomorrow.”

Rafael Camara, 13th, 1:31.515

“It was a tricky one, but I’m okay. I was just a bit unlucky in the last corner, locking up, and then trying to make the corner, but it was really not possible. In a way, I’m a bit disappointed with the mistakes, as I know for the team, that’s not what they want, but overall I think it was a positive session. I think one thing we do know, we don’t want to crash tomorrow, and we just try to have a clean race, but I think we’ll go into the data, go into procedures with the team tonight and see what we can do best for tomorrow, and prepare for all the scenarios. There’s a lot to do in the race, but we need to get as ready as we can for a good race.”

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal

“Performance-wise, I think it was a positive day. In FP3, we struggled a bit with the hotter track temperature, and we’ve seen it before, our operating window of our car is not really wide enough. In qualifying, from the get-go, it was very challenging conditions, but operationally, the team did a really good job. To do that, I think we’ve improved quite a lot, if you think about what happened in Malaysia, then we made a good step in Singapore, and here today, I’m really proud of the team. Ollie getting into Q3 is nothing short of what everyone in this team deserves. The last time we did that was in China, and he did a fantastic job. Ollie had these conditions two years ago, and he learned a harsh lesson, but he put every learning into it today and judged everything very well, P8 was a very good result.

“Rafa, as a rookie going into his home race, going straight into qualifying was extremely challenging with lots of standing water in Q1. He aquaplaned and got caught out there, but did a very good job to get out of Q1, that was brilliant. In Q2, he was very fast, maybe too fast, but again, they’re extreme conditions to put a rookie in the car. We’ve got to support him and reset, but today he showed how fast he is. In FP3, Q1, and Q2, until he had that moment, he showed exactly why we signed him for next year. On Sunday I believe both drivers can race really well together.”

Aston Martin

Stroll was another to slide off in Q1, and thus exited at the first time of asking. Alonso made it to Q2, and was the first to switch to the inters. It proved a good move, as he made it to Q3 for the first time this season. In the end he wound up ninth, despite coming out first and thus getting the best of the track conditions. It was a strong result for the veteran, who will be another hoping for more rain tomorrow.

Fernando Alonso, 9th, 1:30.311

“We took some risks in today’s Qualifying and secured our first Q3 of the season, so obviously I’m pleased with that. I went into Q3 quite hopeful, but then it rained more and we couldn't get the temperature into the tyres we needed. I don’t think we could have achieved a higher position in the end, but we made the most of our opportunities today and it's a strong result. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow as it’s expected to rain again.”

Lance Stroll, 19th, 1:33.653

“Tricky conditions out there today, but I enjoyed Qualifying. The car felt good and it was fun to go out there in the rain. I’m happy with my last push lap, and considering our recent performance, P19 is a slightly better result for us. There’s more rain expected for tomorrow so it could get interesting and hopefully give us a chance to move forward.”

Mike Krack, Chief Trackside Officer

“Our first Q3 of the season, so that is a positive to take from today. We knew with the changing weather that tyre choice was going to be crucial, and the decision to put Fernando out on the Intermediate in Q2 was a good call. More rain is expected tomorrow, and we will go into the race ready to take advantage of any opportunities that come our way.”

Williams

Sainz also slid off in Q1 at Turn 12, but kept out of the barriers. He went off in the same place in Q2, which left him without a chance to improve when the red flags then came out. Albon made it all the way to Q3 for the first time this year. He wound up 10th, but starts from ninth in a rare positive for a team that is having a difficult season.

Alex Albon, 10th, 1:30.456

“I’m really happy with that result, and it’s great to be back in Q3. It was a difficult session overall, but we extracted the maximum from it. I’m pleased with my laps in Q1 and Q2, which were right on the limit, and the pace felt good again in Q3. The conditions were tough for everyone out there, but honestly, I enjoyed it. We usually go well in these conditions, and we needed the rain today. It’s been a great effort from everyone in the team, so that should give us confidence going into tomorrow. We have been strong on starts, so the plan is to keep it clean and race from there. Points are the target, so let’s hope it stays wet.”

Carlos Sainz, 15th, 1:31.785

“A tricky qualifying out there but the car was feeling really good. We were strong on the extreme wets as we got the tyres working and we were setting competitive lap times. Unfortunately I switched to the intermediate compound one lap too late and the red flag didn’t allow me to put a lap time on the board with that tyre, which was very frustrating but we were just unlucky. The FIA handled today well and made the right call to pause Q1, and they did well to make the most of the gap between showers. A bit of rain tomorrow would be welcome, and if we’re able to stay out of trouble, we can have an exciting race.”

James Vowles, Team Principal

“A really great effort from the whole team. It was fantastic to be here and listen to how the team was organising themselves: getting the tyres ready, making the call to go to inters, and using all the modes.

"With Alex, some of the trickiest conditions I can remember, and he delivered when it mattered most. Particularly for me, his Q2 lap and the real stress on that inter, it was a brilliant job. Carlos was on a good lap but, unfortunately, got caught in the red flag from Câmara, but I’m sure he’ll be up there tomorrow with the rest.

"Delaying the session was the right decision, so well done to F1 and the FIA on delivering a great qualifying in difficult circumstances. It looks like tomorrow we may have more of the same rain, and I look forward to it.”

Alpine

Gasly tends to go well in the wet, so it was some surprise to see him struggle at the start of Qualifying. His team mate was also up against it, with Alpine looking like they were not able to get heat into their tyres in the difficult conditions. In the end, both drivers exited in Q1 in a disappointing display. They do at least inherit a couple of places, with Verstappen and Hamilton dropping to the back.

Pierre Gasly, 18th, 1:33.449

“We were just too slow today and it's a frustrating end to our day. When it rains, usually opportunities come your way and I've had good memories in the past here in the wet conditions, so to be out in Q1 is of course very disappointing. We just lacked pace the whole session which, to me, is very odd. We struggled for pace compared to everyone else so we need to quickly look into why and hopefully improve for tomorrow where the conditions could be very similar to today. It will be a challenge from that far back but we'll review everything as a team and see what we can do in the race to progress.”

Franco Colapinto, 17th, 1:33.327

“It's been a tricky afternoon and of course we are all disappointed not to have gone through to at least Q2 in Qualifying. We were simply not as quick in the wet as we have been in the dry. We were lacking grip and overall pace in the conditions whereas others did not seem to have as much difficulty. We have a lot to review and hopefully, if the conditions are similar tomorrow, we can extract more pace on the Intermediates compared to the Extreme Wets. Understanding today's result is one thing but we also have to be prepared for the race and give it our all. It will be a long race, there are some drivers out of position to normal as a result of grid penalties, so we'll need to grab all the opportunities which might come our way.”

Steve Nielsen, Managing Director

“It's been a very disappointing day with both cars out in Q1. We have some work to do to fully understand why we were one of the slowest cars in the wet in that session. From a strategy point of view, we had good track position and we were one of the last cars to the cross the line, which is just where you want to be with the track improving significantly lap after lap. So, to be that far off with all those considerations, and not looking competitive at all, is particularly puzzling for us. We will keep an eye on the forecast as it remains likely that the conditions will be similar tomorrow with more rain expected. We'll aim to find some solutions and give the drivers the tools they need to fight their way back up the field.”

Cadillac

Bottas was the first out at the start of the drenched Q1 segment, and slid his way around the track in what appeared to be very hairy conditions. Both cars managed to keep their sessions clean, but neither had the pace in the wet to advance. Bottas was the pick of the duo, with Perez dropping a place as he is due to start from the back thanks to taking on a raft of new PU components.

Sergio Perez, 21st, 1:34.509

“The track conditions were tricky, but I think starting a little earlier was definitely the right call. Overall, there were a few complaints here and there, but we made good progress and felt competitive today, which was a positive sign. I was confident going into my final lap, thinking it was going to be the one, but I think I cooled the tyres down a little too much and didn’t get enough temperature into them. That was a bit unfortunate, as I feel we could have achieved a much better result. Hopefully, we’ll get some rain and see how things develop from there.”

Valtteri Bottas, 20th, 1:33.774

“Some very tricky conditions today. The first two laps were more survival than qualifying, but I managed to keep it on track, and the pace looked quite promising in the early stages. We were able to get the tyres working quite quickly, but then towards the end, we started overheating the rear tyres and dropped to the back sadly. It was nice to have wet qualifying, with every other qualifying this year being dry - it always brings opportunities. Let's see what tomorrow brings for the race, as the forecast can be very unpredictable here, so we’re hoping for some action and to make the most of any opportunities that come our way.”

Marcin Budkowski, Team Principal

“An eventful day with dramatic weather conditions as we so often see here at Interlagos. During a dry FP3, we had a smooth session after electing to take a new ICE, turbo and MGUK on Checo’s car following the issue in Mexico, and both drivers completed their run plans. Qualifying was a significant challenge operationally, and huge credit to the team in the garage and on the pitwall for responding well to the shifting conditions. Both our drivers also demonstrated their wealth of experience, putting in solid laps and keeping the car on the tarmac where others struggled with the wet conditions and got caught out. We had a shot at getting through to Q2 today, but ultimately we didn’t manage to put everything together at the very end of the session when it mattered. Thank you to the fans who persevered through the delays and ultimately saw some great on-track action. We’ll regroup tonight and prepare for another unpredictable day tomorrow, with more rain forecast ahead of the race.”

Pirelli

Dario Marrafuschi, Pirelli Motorsport Director

"Today’s qualifying session provided a clear demonstration of wet-weather racing, with the cars able to exploit the Full Wet tyre during the opening phase when track conditions remained particularly challenging. The extreme wet tyre enabled running to resume after the delay, confirming its effectiveness even in the most demanding conditions and allowing the drivers to maintain a strong level of performance.

"Equally significant was the switch to Intermediates at the start of the second session. Thanks to the development work carried out over recent years on the crossover window, the Full Wet was able to remain effective even once standing water had disappeared from the circuit, making the subsequent transition to Intermediates particularly smooth as track conditions continued to improve.

"Current forecasts indicate a 60% chance of rain for tomorrow’s race, meaning a scenario similar to today’s cannot be ruled out should the Grand Prix take place wholly or partly on a wet track. In dry conditions, however, the most meaningful indications come from Friday’s second free practice session, the only one that provided representative long-run data.

"Analysis of the long runs has led us to revise the simulations carried out before the weekend. Wear proved higher than expected, resulting in greater performance loss over the course of a stint. For this reason, a two-stop strategy emerges as the preferred option, featuring two stints on Soft and one on Medium. This combination is estimated to offer an advantage of around three seconds over strategies involving all three available compounds. Using the Hard tyre alongside two Soft stints would result in a further increase in overall race time.

"The lower temperatures expected on Sunday, combined with the possibility of a track offering less grip than was seen on Friday, could further favour the softer compounds, which provide greater grip and come up to temperature more quickly. A one-stop strategy appears significantly less competitive, with an estimated race time around ten seconds slower than the optimum two-stop approach. In this context, the undercut could prove decisive, particularly for drivers switching to a softer compound, as they would be able to exploit the immediate gain in grip to make up track position."