F1: São Paulo Grand Prix qualifying halted by rain at Interlagos, no lap times set in Q1 By Luís Henrique Costa
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Heavy rain forced race control to stop qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos on Saturday (7) with a red flag. The cars reached the track, but every driver went back to the pits without setting a timed lap in Q1.
The session was due to start at 3 pm Brasília time, and the rain reached the circuit before that, according to the reporting. Maintenance crews are now removing the water that built up on the asphalt before any new attempt. Formula 1‘s own weather bulletin, released on 4 November 2026, had already warned of a 50% chance of rain on Saturday, with the risk of flooding and standing water on the track.
Race control waved the red flag after about two minutes
The stoppage came at the very start of Q1, the 18-minute opening segment of qualifying. Under the rules cited in the reporting, race control can interrupt qualifying when conditions are not safe, and the regulation sets no deadline for a session delayed by rain.
Lando’s visor cam gives you a good idea of how wet it was on track before the stoppage 🤯 #F1 #BrazilGP https://t.co/gM1qKiv2hJ
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 7, 2026
Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto was among the drivers who returned to the garages without a timed lap. The cars made a brief run on the track before being called back. Bortoleto and Rafael Câmara were making their first home qualifying together, and wet track conditions could shake up the grid.
Grid rules if qualifying cannot be held
If the stewards decide that qualifying cannot take place, the starting grid will be set by the Drivers’ Championship standings, under article B2.5.4 of the 2026 sporting regulations. That rule applies to Sunday’s race at Interlagos if the session is not run.
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Interlagos has seen rain change qualifying before. In 2024, a storm forced the session to be moved to Sunday, a few hours before the race.
Session times, venue and race date at Interlagos
- Qualifying start: 3 pm Brasília time on Saturday (7)
- Q1 length: 18 minutes
- Track open before the red flag: about 2 minutes
- Venue: Autódromo José Carlos Pace, in Interlagos, southern São Paulo
- Race: 8 November 2026, at Interlagos
No restart time announced for qualifying at Interlagos
Until the latest update, no restart time had been announced for the session. It is not yet known whether qualifying will be held on Saturday or moved to another day.
The forecast also pointed to a 40% chance of rain on Sunday, with a maximum of 19°C during the race. It is still unknown whether the interruption will change the race grid, which is set for Sunday at Interlagos.
