Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas won the sprint qualifying race and will start in the pole position for tomorrow’s 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will start second with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Jr. starting third.
Verstappen had pole position for the sprint qualifying race but Bottas beat Verstappen off the line and never looked back – leading start to finish. Meanwhile, the biggest drama was behind both Bottas and Verstappen as Bottas’ seven-time defending Formula One world champion teammate, Lewis Hamilton, had to start from last place on the grid after receiving a disqualification from the sprint race qualifying race for a rear wing technical rules infraction.
Hamilton, starting in 20th and last place, moved past half the field in the first half of the 24-lap sprint race, then moved past five more cars before eventually finishing in fifth place overall. Hamilton will have to take a five-place grid penalty for adding an extra engine component past the allowed allotment, so he will begin the race in 10th place.
2021 Brazilian Grand Prix Top 10 Qualifiers
1] Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
2] Max Verstappen Red Bull
3] Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari
4] Sergio Perez Red Bull
5] Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
6] Lando Norris McLaren
7] Charles Leclerc Ferrari
8] Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri
9] Esteban Ocon Alpine
10] Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin
