Unusual starting grid for F1 Sao Paulo GP after Max Verstappen grid penalty
How the F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix will begin with Max Verstappen's setback
This is the starting grid for today's F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
| 2024 F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix - starting grid | |||
| Pos | Driver | Nat. | Team |
| 1 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren F1 Team |
| 2 | George Russell | GBR | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team |
| 3 | Yuki Tsunoda | JPN | Visa Cash App RB F1 Team |
| 4 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | BWT Alpine F1 Team |
| 5 | Liam Lawson | NZL | Visa Cash App RB F1 Team |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Scuderia Ferrari |
| 8 | Oscar Piastri | AUS | McLaren F1 Team |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team |
| 11 | Valtteri Bottas | FIN | Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber |
| 12 | Sergio Perez | MEX | Oracle Red Bull Racing |
| 13 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | BWT Alpine F1 Team |
| 14 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team |
| 15 | Ollie Bearman | GBR | MoneyGram Haas F1 Team |
| 16 | Franco Colapinto | ARG | Williams Racing |
| 17 | Max Verstappen | NED | Oracle Red Bull Racing |
| 18 | Nico Hulkenberg | GER | MoneyGram Haas F1 Team |
| 19 | Zhou Guanyu | CHN | Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber |
| Pit lane | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Scuderia Ferrari |
*Williams have withdrawn Alex Albon's car due to damage sustained in his qualifying crash. His grid slot will remain empty.
Max Verstappen faces a five-place grid penalty in Brazil for taking a new ICE engine component.
He then qualified terribly on Sunday morning, in 12th, meaning he will start 17th.
His championship rival Lando Norris starts from pole position.
George Russell is second, while Yuki Tsunoda is unusually third.
Esteban Ocon is fourth, and Liam Lawson fifth, in more unexpectedly high results.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is 15th.
Carlos Sainz will start from the pit lane after Ferrari changed his power unit and gearbox following his crash.
The grand prix begins today at 3.30pm UK time.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
