Rain-soaked Brazil GP Qualifying: Verstappen Eliminated In Q2 Chaos
Max Verstappen's hopes of securing pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix were dashed in dramatic fashion on Saturday, as the reigning world champion was eliminated in a chaotic Q2 session.
Heavy rain had been falling throughout the day at Interlagos, making the track treacherous and leading to several spins and crashes. Among the victims was Verstappen, who found himself unable to control his Red Bull car on the slippery surface and spun off into the gravel.
The incident brought out a red flag, halting the session for several minutes. When the action resumed, Verstappen was unable to make up for lost time and was eliminated in 10th place.
Stroll Incident Triggers Red Flag
The red flag was also caused by an incident involving Lance Stroll. The Aston Martin driver spun off into the wall, causing significant damage to his car. Stroll was uninjured, but the incident brought out the red flag and led to a lengthy delay.
The session was eventually restarted, but the conditions were still far from ideal. Valtteri Bottas took pole position for Mercedes, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Nikita Mazepin.
Verstappen's elimination from Q2 is a major blow to his hopes of winning the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Dutchman is now likely to start the race from the back of the grid, making it an uphill battle to secure a victory.