Leclerc Qualifies Fourth in São Paulo Rain
Charles Leclerc qualified fourth and Lewis Hamilton 11th at Interlagos, though both will start further back after power unit penalties.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Motorsports
Qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos was red flagged almost immediately at the start of Q1 due to extremely wet conditions, with the session resuming about 80 minutes later on Extreme Wet tyres. Charles Leclerc qualified fourth with a best time of 1'28"289, while Lewis Hamilton qualified 11th with a best time of 1'30"001.
Why it matters
Both drivers take grid penalties, with Leclerc starting 14th after a ten-place penalty for an internal combustion engine replacement and Hamilton starting 20th after a full power unit replacement. The team took the penalties in advance of the season's end, and the weather forecast was also considered in deciding to take them at this race.
Qualifying lap times were recorded under extremely wet conditions, with Leclerc's best of 1'28"289 coming after he switched to Intermediate tyres in Q2 and improved to 1'28"082 to reach Q3. Rain intensified with around seven minutes left in Q3, ending further improvement, and the race itself is set for 71 laps over 305.879 kilometres.
The players
Charles Leclerc
Monegasque Ferrari driver and a multiple Grand Prix winner who qualified fourth at Interlagos.
Lewis Hamilton
British seven-time Formula 1 World Champion who qualified 11th at Interlagos and is driving for Ferrari.
The details
Qualifying was halted early in Q1 by heavy rain and resumed roughly 80 minutes later, with all cars on Extreme Wet tyres. Hamilton's programme was limited to Q1 and a single run in Q2, while the team replaced the internal combustion engine on Leclerc's SF-26 and the entire power unit on Hamilton's car.
Timeline
Qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix took place on 7 November 2026.
The race is scheduled to start on 8 November 2026 at 14:00 local time (18:00 CET).
Season Trajectory
Teams taking engine and power unit penalties late in the Formula 1 season is a recurring strategy used to reset components before the year ends. Leclerc and Hamilton's penalties at Interlagos reflect that pattern, as the grid positions they will start from reshape their chances in a race that could be unpredictable.
Leclerc starts 14th and Hamilton 20th after their penalties, which reshuffles the race order before the first lap. Fantasy and betting positions will hinge on whether the forecast rain arrives as predicted.
The takeaway
Grid penalties taken late in the season can reshape a race before it starts, so the weather forecast and penalty positions together will determine who gains ground at Interlagos.
What happens next
The São Paulo Grand Prix race is scheduled to start on 8 November 2026 at 14:00 local time (18:00 CET), with rain predicted.
Further reading
For more on the sport, see the Motorsports section.
