OFFICIAL GRID: Will Aston Martin’s second row lock-out give Stroll and Alonso podium shot?

The arrival of a huge storm midway through Q3 on Friday in Sao Paulo meant drivers got just one lap to determine their place in the grid’s top 10. Some timed it right and some didn’t, with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso firmly in the former camp, securing P3 and P4 respectively.
They line up with pole-sitter Max Verstappen in the Red Bull and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc ahead. Immediately behind are Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Then come Carlos Sainz for Ferrari and the penalised George Russell for Mercedes, with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completing the first five rows.
Russell was penalised two grid places for driving unnecessarily slowly while exiting the pit lane during qualifying, as were the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, who start 14th and 15th respectively.
Starting Grid
FORMULA 1 ROLEX GRANDE PRÊMIO DE SÃO PAULO 2023
| Pos. | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max VerstappenVER | 1:10.727 |
| 2 | Charles LeclercLEC | 1:11.021 |
| 3 | Lance StrollSTR | 1:11.344 |
| 4 | Fernando AlonsoALO | 1:11.387 |
| 5 | Lewis HamiltonHAM | 1:11.469 |
| 6 | Lando NorrisNOR | 1:11.987 |
| 7 | Carlos SainzSAI | 1:11.989 |
| 8 | George RussellRUS | 1:11.590 |
| 9 | Sergio PerezPER | 1:12.321 |
| 10 | Oscar PiastriPIA |
The 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix starts at 1400 local time. Be sure to join our live coverage from 1300 here.
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