The final Brazilian Grand Prix F1 grid when penalties appear

On By Littum

After a delayed, hectic qualifying session on Sunday morning, there is a very unusual grid for Formula 1’s 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Title chaser Lando Norris will start from pole position and share the front row with the Mercedes of George Russell.

Yuki Tsunoda has his highest ever grid position in third, ahead of Esteban Ocon’s Alpine – P4 marking his best start in an otherwise difficult 2024 season.

Liam Lawson also has a personal best starting position of fifth ahead of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

Alex Albon was due to start seventh, but will not start the race after his qualifying crash. Williams did not have time to carry out the repairs.

His grid place will be empty, meaning Oscar Piastri will still start in eighth (as the seventh car on the track) ahead of Aston Martin duo Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Both Astons crashed in qualifying, leaving the team with two repair jobs to quickly complete before the race.

Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber will start from the 11th grid slot ahead of Sergio Perez’s Red Bull.

Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari – another driver who caused one of the five red flags in qualifying – will start from the pit lane.

Pierre Gasly lines up in number 13 in his Alpine ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Ollie Bearman.

F1 points leader Max Verstappen qualified 12th but will have to serve a five-place penalty, dropping him to 17th. He will still be 17th despite Sainz’s pitlane start. Although he has actually already got a place with Albon, leaving grid place 7 vacant.

Behind him, Franco Colapinto – with his Williams also in need of repair after a qualifying shunt – Nico Hulkenberg and Zhou Guanyu complete the grid.

Preliminary Brazilian GP start schedule

  1. Lando Norris
  2. George Russell
  3. Yuki Tsunoda
  4. Esteban Ocon
  5. Liam Lawson
  6. Charles Leclerc
  7. Alex Albon (DNS*)
  8. Oscar Piastri
  9. Fernando Alonso
  10. Lance Stroll
  11. Valtteri Bottas
  12. Sergio Perez
  13. Pierre Gasly
  14. Lewis Hamilton
  15. Ollie Bearman
  16. Franco Colapinto
  17. Max Verstappen**
  18. Nico Hulkenberg
  19. Zhou Guanyu

Pit lane: Carlos Sainz***
*Albon does not start, P7 grid slot remains empty
**Five-place grid penalty for engine change
*** Pitlane start for new engine components