Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Oscar Piastri led Lando Norris to a McLaren one-two in sprint qualifying at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris’ title rival Max Verstappen could manage only fourth place in the Red Bull, behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen, who has a five-place grid penalty for the main grand prix on Sunday, starts the weekend 47 points ahead of Norris in the championship.

The result of sprint qualifying gives Norris an opportunity to claw back a small amount of points on Verstappen in Saturday’s sprint event, in which there are eight points for a win, seven for second and so on down to eighth.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz qualified fifth for the sprint, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell.

Read the full report here

McLaren have bagged a one-two for the sprint race but as Lando Norris just said, he isn't concerned by where his championship rival Max Verstappen is starting (it's fourth, in case you missed qualifying).

Can Oscar Piastri turn his fantastic pole performance into a sprint victory? The weather might be a bit wet for the 100km race.

Thanks for joining us tonight, folks. We'll be back up and running on Saturday at 13:30 GMT to build up to the sprint race. Remember, there are points on offer for the top eight drivers.

See you tomorrow!

Lando Norris will be starting alongside his team-mate for tomorrow's sprint race. Here's what he had to say after qualifying: "I think a big improvement compared to where we were earlier today. We were struggling a lot. I was surprised at how quick we were today - but a pleasant one, of course.

"I made some mistakes on my final lap, so just boxed. But it was a good job as a team. Like I said, I wasn't expecting it, so a pleasant surprise. I just made too many mistakes on my final lap."

On starting ahead of title rival Max Verstappen: "I don't care. I hate these questions so much. I don't care where he qualifies, for me it's just focus on my own job and that's it. It's the same questions every time but it doesn't matter if he starts first or if he is last. I'll do the best I can."

Image source, Getty Images

McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who will sstart on pole position for the sprint race: "It was a tricky session; I felt pretty comfortable at the start and then grip was really coming up a lot during the session.

"With the track this year, it's hard enough to see where you're going, let along trying to do a fast lap. It's challenging out there, but happy to qualify on pole for the sprint.

"My first lap didn't feel amazing but I knew that there were a few places to improve. The second lap was good and the tyres hung on. Very, very happy and exited to be starting off P1.

On his approach to tomorrow's sprint: "To try win, obviously, that's the first thing. It's going to be a very different kind of sprint to last year, with the resurfacing, so we'll see what the weather does.

"But I'm starting from the best seat in the house, so i'll make sure it stays that way."

11. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

12. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

13. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

14. Franco Colapinto (Williams)

15. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

11. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

12. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

13. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

14. Franco Colapinto (Williams)

15. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

2. Lando Norris (McLaren)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

5. Carlos Ssainz (Ferrari)

6. George Russell (Mercedes)

7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

8. Liam Lawson (RB)

9. Alex Albon (Williams)

10. Oliver Bearman (Haas)

Hello, Oscar Piastri. The Australian leaps on to provisional pole with a 1:08.899 to bump team-mate Lando Norris down to P2. Norris aborts his attempt, so stays in second place.

Oliver Beaman's opening sector is scrappy one, but the Haas driver doesn't abort the lap and carriers on, his middle sector showing improvement. He finishes his attempt and moves up the order, but shifts back down just as quickly as his lap time is deleted.

Only Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and the Williams of Alex Albon have times on the board with less than three minutes remaining. Next to peep out of the garage is the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Ollie Bearman's Haas.

Wow.

Lando Norris is nearly three-tenths quicker than McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

The Briton goes top of the timehseets with a time of 1:08.928.

Oscar Piastri gets us going with a 1:09.225.

What can Lando Norris do?

Liam Lawson was not happy with Sergio Perez in the final part of SQ2, prompting his RB engineer to tell him to clam down just a touch.

The New Zealander hasn't left the garage yet, preferring to stay put and watch the two McLarens head out first in this pole fight.

Blink and you'll miss it.

Eight minutes for this session, and now we switch to the soft tyres.

1. Lando Norris

2. Oscar Piastri

3. Charles Leclerc

4. Max Verstappen

5. Carlos Sainz

6. Pierre Gasly

7. Ollie Bearman

8. George Russell

9. Liam Lawson

10. Alex Albon

Congratulations to Ollie Bearman! The Briton is through to the pole shootout in his first sprint qualifying.

In the Mercedes camp, Lewis Hamilton missed the cut for SQ3 by less than a tenth and will start the shorter dash in 11th place.

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11. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

12. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

13. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

14. Franco Colapinto (Williams)

15. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

Sergio Perez is told to box, as the Mexican was not going to make it to the line in time. He's knocked out in SQ2 and won't be in the top 10 for tomorrow's sprint.

Lewis Hamilton is also struggling to make it through to SQ3 and just Perez, time has ran out for the Mercedes driver.

The Red Bull team get a call from Max Verstappen, who is unhappy with his car. The Dutchman is 0.426 seconds away from rival Lando Norris' time, but both will be safely heading through to the sprint pole fight.

Oliver Bearman, meanwhile, is yet to put a time on the board but the Briton has just completed his lap on the mediums and goes fifth fastest, pushing Sergio Perez into the drop zone.

11. Franco Colapinto

12. Valtteri Bottas

13. Ollie Bearman

14. Nico Hulkenberg

15. Liam Lawson