In qualifying for the Formula One sprint race in Sao Paulo, Liam Lawson and his Racing Bulls team got their timing all wrong.

They did not make the same mistake in qualifying for the grand prix.

Lawson will start seventh on the grid for the main event of the weekend at the Interlagos Circuit after a strong performance in qualifying. He is joined in the top 10 by teammate Isack Hadjar, who will start fifth, in a performance that would leave a casual fan questioning which is the top team of the Red Bull stable.

While Lawson and Hadjar soared, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (16) and Yuki Tsunoda (18) were eliminated in the first qualifying session (Q1). According to the broadcast, it was the first time since 2006 that both Red Bull entries were eliminated in Q1 for a grand prix, while it was the first time Verstappen was eliminated at that stage since 2021.

The Kiwi’s best lap in Q3 of 1m09.962 was 0.451s off the pace set by pole-sitter Lando Norris, who again put his McLaren at the top of the grid. It will be the same front row as it was for the sprint race on Sunday morning, with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli the second-fastest car on track.

“It’s positive. Obviously we’re going to analyse the details. We lost a little bit of time in the lap and that’s definitely cost us a few positions, but when it’s this close in these kinds of conditions, I think everybody’s got that story. It’s a decent place for tomorrow,” Lawson said.

“Trying to score points, that’s the target. Both cars in Q3 obviously which puts us in a good position, so we’ll definitely give it a good shot.”

Lawson will start next to Haas’ Oliver Bearman on the grid for the grand prix, which adds a bit of spice to the mixture after the two collided at turn four on the first lap of the sprint race.

Liam Lawson made contact with Oliver Bearman into turn four of the first lap of the Sao Paulo sprint race. Photo / Red Bull Content Pool

Lawson looked to have been given room on the inside before Bearman turned in. That saw the Kiwi Racing Bulls driver clip the Haas and send it into a spin, but both drivers were able to continue in the race.

The pair were called to share their sides of the incident with the stewards after the race, and both drivers were handed a five-second time penalty and one penalty point.

Bearman was penalised for driving in a manner deemed potentially dangerous, while Lawson was penalised for causing a collision - his ruling released about 40 minutes later.

“As Car 30 [Lawson] attempted to move alongside, the driver of Car 87 [Bearman] moved to the left, leaving insufficient room and forcing Car 30 to place two wheels on the wet grass. Although Car 30 managed to keep control and avoid contact, this manoeuvre occurred at high speed and created an unnecessary risk,” the stewards said in their ruling for Bearman’s penalty.

For Lawson’s, they said: “Video evidence from circuit cameras and onboard footage did not clearly establish whether the front axle of Car 30 was at least momentarily alongside the rear-view mirror of Car 87 prior to the apex, let alone whether this overlap was maintained at the apex – as would be required under the Driving Standards Guidelines for an overtaking car on the inside to be entitled to racing room."

Lawson finished 13th after starting in 17th, in what turned into a rather hectic sprint, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Kick Sauber duo Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto all going into the barriers.

It was on lap six that things started to get interesting when Piastri took the kerb at turn four. The kerb was still holding water after overnight rain, which sent the Australian spinning into the barriers.

Within seconds, he was joined there by Hulkenberg and then Colapinto, who did the exact same thing.

The carnage saw red flags come out and the race was suspended as the track was cleared. Hulkenberg was able to continue, but Piastri and Colapinto’s teams have work to do ahead of qualifying.

When racing resumed from a rolling start, Lawson was in 13th, and while he was passed by both Bearman and Haas teammate Esteban Ocon on lap 17, Bortoleto going into the barriers at turn one on the final lap – impacting Williams’ Alex Albon in the process – saw Lawson back into 13th at the finish.

Bortoleto did not feature in qualifying due to the damage to his car, and will start from the back of the grid in the grand prix

Sao Paulo Grand Prix grid

1. Lando Norris – McLaren
2. Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes
3. Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
4. Oscar Piastri - McLaren
5. Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls
6. George Russell - Mercedes
7. Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls
8. Oliver Bearman - Haas
9. Pierre Gasly - Alpine
10. Nico Hulkenberg - Kick Sauber
11. Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin
12. Alex Albon - Williams
13. Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari
14. Lance Stroll - Aston Martin
15. Carlos Sainz - Williams
16. Max Verstappen - Red Bull
17. Esteban Ocon - Haas
18. Franco Colapinto - Alpine
19. Yuki Tsunoda - Red Bull
20. Gabriel Bortoleto - Kick Sauber

Sprint race results

1. Lando Norris – McLaren
2. Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes
3. George Russell – Mercedes
4. Max Verstappen – Red Bull
5. Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
6. Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
7. Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari
8. Pierre Gasly - Alpine
9. Lance Stroll - Aston Martin
10. Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls
11. Esteban Ocon - Haas
12. Oliver Bearman - Haas
13. Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls
14. Yuki Tsunoda – Red Bull
15. Carlos Sainz - Williams
16. Nico Hulkenberg – Kick Sauber
17. Alex Albon - Williams

DNF: Oscar Piastri - McLaren, Franco Colapinto - Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto - Kick Sauber.

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.