By Robert Haile

Three time world champion Max Verstappen returned to pole position as heavy rain brought out a red flag.

Red Bull’s Dutch driver set provisional pole on his first run in the top ten shootout with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc sealing his third front row in a row.

Aston Martin benefited from the rain as Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso closed out the second row.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell took the third row as Hamilton looks to take second place in the championship, Lando Norris will start seventh for McLaren with Carlos Sainz, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri completing the top ten.

Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas missed out on a place in the top ten in eleventh as Esteban Ocon was the lead Alpine with Pierre Gasly just behind in thirteenth with Kevin Magnussen in fourteenth for Haas and Williams’ Alex Albon in fifteenth.

After their impressive performance in Mexico Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda both went out in the first session with Tsunoda in sixteenth and Ricciardo just behind for AlphaTauri.

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas took eighteenth with Zhou Guanyu in twentieth as Logan Sargeant’s Williams split the pair.

The Brazilian Grand Prix race starts at 5 pm (17:00) GMT on Sunday, November 5, before then the final sprint of the season takes place on Saturday, November 4, with Sprint qualifying at 2 pm (14:00) and race at 6:30 pm (18:30).

Brazilian Grand Prix Qualifying

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
4. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
6. George Russell (Mercedes)
7. Lando Norris (McLaren)
8. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
9. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
10. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
11. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
12. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
13. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
15. Alex Albon (Williams)
16. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)
17. Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri)
18. Vallteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)
19. Logan Sargeant (Williams)
20. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)