The starting grid for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix has been drastically altered by a wave of penalties, forcing both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton to start from the back of the field on Sunday. The double penalty for the two-time world champions and their respective rivals creates a unique strategic landscape for the final race of the season, effectively resetting the competitive hierarchy for the sprint to the finish line. This significant shift removes the immediate pressure from the front row, allowing the midfield and backmarkers to target the leaders without the usual defensive constraints.
Rain-affected qualifying chaos reshapes the order as Lawson and Hulkenberg leap to second row.
George Russell, who secured pole position’s neighbor in second place during Saturday’s qualifying, will drop five places to start seventh, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc faces a ten-place drop from fourth to 14th. These adjustments have directly benefited Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg, who qualified fifth and sixth respectively. With the top contenders penalized, Lawson and Hulkenberg have been elevated to the second row, lining up in third and fourth positions. This unexpected boost provides them with a prime opportunity to challenge for podium finishes in a race where track position is paramount.
The penalties follow a qualifying session characterized by borderline weather conditions, with rain playing a pivotal role in the top-10 shootout. While Lando Norris and Russell had hoped for further rainfall to disrupt the order, the final classification saw the penalties applied to the original qualifying results. As the field prepares for Sunday’s race, the focus shifts to how the drivers starting from the rear can navigate the traffic, and whether the second-row drivers can capitalize on the disrupted front row to secure a historic result in Brazil.
Source: BBC
