Damon Hill highlights McLaren “problem” with “wrong guy on pole”

Damon Hill is concerned McLaren face a “very tricky situation” heading into the F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix with the “wrong guy” on pole position.

McLaren secured an impressive front-row lockout on the Interlagos grid for Saturday’s sprint race, with Oscar Piastri pipping teammate and championship hopeful Lando Norris to pole.

Norris starts the weekend 47 points behind Max Verstappen, who qualified fourth. With the Red Bull driver serving a five-place grid penalty for the main grand prix on Sunday, Norris has an opportunity to claw back more points.

McLaren have openly stated they will favour Norris over Piastri while his title hopes are still alive but 1996 world champion Hill has warned that the start of the sprint race will be difficult to navigate.

“They are doing something right, they have absolutely nailed it,” Hill said of McLaren’s qualifying performance.

“McLaren have now got a problem because they’ve got two cars in a very tricky situation and kind of the wrong guy on pole. We are going to have to see what will happen in the sprint.”

Hill later added: “I think it’s going to very, very tricky for McLaren to navigate Turn 1. Lando is in a bit of a tricky situation.

“It’s only a short run to the first corner and you’ve got a left and a right very, very quickly and it’s very easy to get someone on your inside.”

Norris insisted he was not thinking about the championship.

"I hate this question so much," he responded to a question after sprint qualifying. "I'm just going to race. I don't care about where he [Verstappen] qualified.

"For me it's just focus on my own job. It's the same question every time. It doesn't matter. If he's first or last, I will do the best I can.”

Meanwhile, Piastri confirmed he would be prepared to support Norris’s title bid.

Asked if he would move aside for his teammate, Piastri responded: “Yes. I said I would when we first had these discussions. It would be nice to win but it’s one point difference.

“It’s not the main race. We will see. Lando needs the points in the drivers’ standings a lot more than I do but of course I want to win.

“If I put in the effort and have good pace then I am sure that won’t go unnoticed. Let’s see.”