2025 F1 Sao Paulo GP: Qualifying - As it happened

Looking ahead to tomorrow's 71-lap encounter, the momentum and form is very much with Lando Norris but there is a long old race ahead

We will be here to bring you the live text commentary action so you don't miss a thing - until then, adeus!

A strong effort from some unusual mid-field forces today with Hadjar and Lawson flying the flag for the Red Bull family in fifth and seventh as the 'A-team' languishes down in 16th and 19th.

Bearman also shone throughout qualifying, even if his very final lap lost him the opportunity for better than equalling his career best of eighth. Either way, he is on a good track for a fourth straight points finish.

Gasly deserves a mention for going ninth for Alpine, seemingly ending a terrible run of recent form for the French team, while Hulkenberg in tenth was his first Q3 of the year - 15 years after his shock first pole for Williams in 2010.

No Piastri in the top three after qualifying once again means the Australian will need to do something special to halt the momentum that Norris is gathering.

On the plus side, Verstappen is down in 16th place so he can focus forward, but Antonelli has shown he will be tough to beat on pure pace alone, while Leclerc - based on the last two rounds - is getting very experienced at being a difficult thorn even in that temperamental Ferrari.

"Very good lap in Q2 and Q3, everything is so close that it can go from a disaster weekend to a good weekend in a matter of a few hundredths. I am happy ti put everything together in Q2 and Q3, which was crucial because it was on the limit. P3, I am satisfied with that, it has been a difficult weekend for us."

"To be fair, I am a bit annoyed to again be behind him [Norris], we were so close this morning in the Sprint but it was a very tricky session with the wind. Tricky to put the lap together, but still managing to put in a decent lap - I am happy with that."

Based on their faultless efforts in the Sprint, Norris and Antonelli are the deserving front row for the main Grand Prix.

It means we get Round 2 of a potential showdown between the pair after the Italian shadowed his rival all the way in the Sprint Race. 

Can Antonelli pull off an upset and grab that first win four years after the team-mate he out-performed in Russell scored his maiden win in Brazil too

A late push from Antonelli sees him back up his run to the front row in the Sprint by going second again for the full-length race.

Leclerc and Piastri fill the second row, the Aussie again with work to do ahead of what will be a critical race but a decent bounce back from the Sprint's disaster

Hadjar proves the surprise package as he takes fifth on the grid as he flies under the radar, with Russell in sixth.

Lawson and Bearman fill row four in a strong showing from both drivers, while Gasly and Hulkenberg complete the top ten

It's left to Mercedes in these final moments but Russell can only move to fifth place

Antonelli leaps to second place to secure another front row start

Stellar job by the Italian

Piastri is next up and he stays third

Hadjar up to fourth ahead of Lawson in fifth place

Leclerc leapfrogs Piastri as he goes to the top of the timesheets... but only for a few seconds as Norris goes quickest by three tenths of a second.

No gains for Bearman in fourth, Hulkenberg up to sixth

A little pause now before it all kicks off with the final flying laps of this Q3 session

Can Norris bounce back?

Can Bearman stay up there?

All will be revealed very soon...

1- Piastri

2- Leclerc

3- Bearman

4- Antonelli

5- Russell

6- Gasly

7- Lawson

8- Hadjar

9- Hulkenberg

10- Norris

Some small mercies for Norris as he loses 0.8s in the first corner alone after a locked front - he ended up 0.6s away from pole after continuing his fast lap.

He'll only have one chance to do it but Norris has the pace

First wave of laps are in and it is Piastri who hits the front, while Norris has a scruffy lap that leaves him 10th.

Leclerc, Bearman, Antonelli and Russell complete the top five.

Just 0.002s between Piastri and Leclerc

Bearman will open the score card in his bid to repeat what he has done in Q1 and Q2 by just forgetting all of the evolving track dilemmas by just getting out there and getting on with it

Fresh off his run to fourth in Mexico, he will now be looking for a new personal best in qualifying - his best is currently eighth in the Haas

This qualifying session is brought to you by the radio message 'No rear grip!'

Several drivers - Hamilton, Verstappen, Hadjar and Russell - all believe they are unique in suffering with a lack of rear grip, but it's in fact symptomatic of the swirling wind conditions that are making things a little bit dicey at inopportune moments around the circuit

Disappointment for Aston Martin considering their performance in qualifying for the Sprint yesterday on a weekend where the team looks closer to the front than in recent events

Hamilton will also be gutted - he was demanding some more grip from his rear tyres, but it didn't come as the track evolution moved away from him

Some interesting names make it into Q3 there

Bearman is through to Q3 for the fourth GP qualifying session in a row, as are both Racing Bulls of Lawson and Hadjar.

Plus, Nico Hülkenberg has squeezed into Q3 - for the first time in 2025!

Norris topples Bearman to book his place into Q2

Alonso, Sainz is in the pits and therefore out of Q2