2025 F1 Sao Paulo GP: Qualifying - As it happened

Leclerc gets a lap he needed to jump from the drop zone to third, while Gasly lifts to fifth

Alonso, Albon, Hamilton, Stroll and Sainz in the drop zone with just over a minute to go

Four mins to go and the drivers are heading out for the second wave of time attacks

Bearman still sitting pretty at the top of the timesheets

6mins to go, the drop zone contains Gasly, Stroll, Leclerc, Hulkenberg and Sainz

Lots of complaints over the lack of grip out there

The track is warmer than it was in the damp Sprint, but the temperature has dropped significantly since the start of qualifying 

Bearman's time resists everyone through the first wave - the Haas driver sits first ahead of Antonelli, Piastri, Russell and Norris.

Bearman and Antonelli were on fresh softs, but that's still a strong show from the rookie duo 

Ollie Bearman pumps in the best time from this early wave, which makes him quicker than Piastri, Hadjar, Alonso and Hamilton

Charles Leclerc almost falls foul with a wild moment on the exit of Turn 4, but he saves it before it breaks away - he cracks on but this lap is compromised

Laurent Mekies admits Red Bull 'took some risks' to try and get Red Bull out of a safe fight for best of the rest in an effort to get on terms with McLaren... but concede they went the wrong way

In the meantime, the remaining 15 drivers (minus Verstappen) are back on track for Q2

It's worth pointing out here that Verstappen managed to win last year's race from 17th, though that position was down to penalties rather than pure pace.

Not a familiar situation for Verstappen as he ponders how he's ended up out of Q1 for the first time in four years.

It seems Red Bull are busy scrabbling around for some solutions judging by Tsunoda - who has been designated the unwitting guinea pig for set-up experiments - finding himself in last place.

On the plus side, it could lead to a Max special for a fight back but it's a big blow for his title hopes at this stage - is this the weekend the F1 title battle becomes a two-horse race?

'No grip!' is the radio call from a surprisingly resigned sounding (rather than fuming) Verstappen

Red Bull went a different way with the set-up but it hasn't worked and it leaves both Red Bulls in an early bath today

Verstappen is picking his way through the traffic with his final lap - he needs this lap as both. he and Tsunoda are in the drop zone and the Japanese will stay there

Norris goes quickest with his final lap, Russell up to fourth place.

Bearman, Piastri, Albon, Gasly and Antonelli hold the top five right now but the teams and drivers are queuing up in the pit-lane and ready to go again

Verstappen, meanwhile, is out of sync and doing two cool down laps before trying to go again for a final time, albeit on used softs

Verstappen is out again but he fails to improve his time - leaving him 16th and in the drop zone.

Hmmm...

He's now crawling around Turn 1 and 2 at super slow speed - probably giving himself a moment to concentrate on a car-to-pit radio diatribe 

With six minutes to go the bottom five are Verstappen, Colapinto, Ocon, Tsunoda and Bortoleto (in the pits)

Piastri goes second quickest with his second run but there are big gains to be made judging by the fact it is Bearman who currently sits atop the timesheets

1- Bearman

2- Antonelli

3- Stroll

4- Alonso

5- Hamilton

6- Norris

Russell and Antonelli get times on the board, with the Italian going quickest (briefly) while the Briton in fourth

After Antonelli goes quickest, Bearman is now top of the timesheets

Bortoleto is still in the pits and it looks like that is where he will remain - a big shame for his first home grand prix

Hamilton jumps to the head of the timesheets as Hulkenberg jumps to third, sandwiching Norris

Colapinto and Bortoleto, who suffered big damage in the Sprint Race, are still in the pits 

A few drivers still to go but at this early stage, Norris has gone fastest - Lawson, Bearman and Verstappen join him in the top four

13mins to go

The initial laps are chiming in and among the first to go is Oscar Piastri, but his flyer is ruined by a lock up into Turn 1 - not the best return to action after his Sprint crash