FIVE red flags sparked utter carnage during qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
And Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen created unwanted history in the dramatic session in Sao Paulo.
A frustrated Max Verstappen had to settle for 12th as he was dumped out[/caption]
Heavy rain in Brazil saw Franco Colapinto, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon all crash out.
And that triggered no fewer than four red flags in the heavily-disrupted qualifying as Lando Norris claimed an unusual pole.
But it was bad news for Hamilton and Verstappen.
The Brit came P16 in Q1 and saw booted out before Verstappen had a flying lap curtailed in Q2 to be dumped out in 12th when Stroll slid off.
The reigning world champion and 2024 leader thumped his wheel in anger as his title hopes took a potential dent.
And that meant neither Hamilton and Verstappen made it to Q3 in a qualifying they have both taken part in for the first time ever.
Stroll, however, did book his place in Q3 thanks to his best time before his crash.
However, he could not take part – and Alonso then sparked a fourth red flag early in Q3, leaving just eight drivers remaining.
But then Albon – sitting in provisional second – did not make it around the first turn upon the restart before a thunderous smash into the barriers to stop the session once again with three minutes 31 seconds remaining.
Thankfully Albon immediately told his team he was okay after the heavy collision which mangled his motor.
The fifth red flag equalled the qualifying record from the chaotic scenes at Imola in 2022.
And at the end of the hectic qualifying, Norris ensured he will start this afternoon’s Grand Prix at the front.
That could have huge ramifications on the 2024 drivers’ title race with Norris desperate to catch Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton failed to make it through Q1[/caption]
Carlos Sainz had his Ferrari collected by the cherry picker[/caption]
