Brazilian Grand Prix LIVE: Lap-by-lap updates as Lando Norris starts on pole with championship rival Max Verstappen to begin race in 17th place

The difference between Norris and Ruseell is now less than a second, while Verstappen has overtaken Alonso and is in eighth place.

Verstappen sets another fastest lap. He is flying.

Russell still leads the pack.

There are only 10 seconds between Norris and Verstappen, who overtakes Gasly and is ninth.

In the midst of all that action, the Red Bull man is already 10th from 17th, passing Lewis Hamilton on his way. Heavy rains are already reported.

Another bad start for Norris as Russell easily overtakes him at the start.

A first lap with many near misses until Sergio Pérez spins. He manages to stay in the race but is right behind.

The rain is just starting to fall but we are still well enough to get off to a good start.

A chaotic weekend has continued with a chaotic start to this race.

The cars are about to embark on their third formation lap.

Norris is now under investigation for moving under a yellow light.

He could now face a penalty and all this means is that this race will be affected by rain sooner than expected.

Cars are everywhere. So some drivers are waiting on the grid, while others have pulled away for another formation lap. And now Norris could be in trouble because he was taken off the grid.

Incredible scenes when Lance Stroll spins during the formation lap.

He tried to keep the engine running but ended up stuck in the gravel.

This will be an aborted start.

The clouds are circling but it’s getting warmer.

However, rain is still expected during this race.

Max Verstappen was left furious by a late red flag call during qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix, as the Red Bull driver dropped to a disappointing 17th on the grid.

In the heavy rain of Sao Paulo, Lance Stroll crashed into a wall while trying to turn during Q2 and a red flag was shown, although after a brief delay when FIA race director Niels Wittich attempted to let the drivers who were doing a fast lap to finish their laps. .

The stop meant Verstappen was unable to complete another lap and, with the Dutchman stranded in 12th place for that round, he was eliminated from qualifying as only the top 10 managed to progress to Q3.

Add to that his five-place penalty due to Red Bull’s decision to change its power unit before the race and the reigning champion was left in 17th place, severely damaging his grand prix prospects.

Unhappy with Wittich’s call, Verstappen went on a foul-mouthed rant on the radio to express his displeasure.

An electric atmosphere in Interlagos.

Pole-sitter Lando Norris’s rain-soaked path to the world championship opened 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, although the crashed cars above him may not be repairable in time and he is likely to move up the order a little.

As for Norris, it was a pole position to dream of on the soggy Interlagos track, with Mercedes’ George Russell in second and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda in a surprising third.

Norris must now emphatically capitalize on what is presented as a momentum-shifting opportunity in the title fight.

Verstappen, who leads the standings with 44 points with four races remaining, was partly a victim of bad luck. He was on track to improve his time as seconds ticked down in Q2, only for Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll to veer off the track and cause a red flag that put a premature end to the proceedings.

And welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog on the Brazilian Grand Prix.

This race has a lot at stake in terms of this year’s drivers’ championship.

Lando Norris will start from pole ahead of his title rival Max Verstappen, who will start the race from 17th place with a five-place grid penalty.

Only 47 points separate the two championship rivals with three races remaining.