Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas won the sprint race Saturday to take pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix as a dramatic day at Interlagos accelerated championship leader Max Verstappen’s quest for his first Formula One title.
Verstappen finished the sprint race in the second position and added two points in the standings. The Red Bull driver also saw his rival, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, hit by another punishment and set to start from 10th on Sunday despite an impressive run from last to fifth.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished third, with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in fourth. McLaren’s Lando Norris will inherit Hamilton’s fifth position on the grid. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc starts from sixth place.
