A mixed up grid and rain on the forecast has set up the prospect of a thrilling Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday.

For the third year in a row, Lando Norris will start on pole position in Brazil with new F1 world champion Kimi Antonelli alongside him on the front row.

Unusually though, there will be plenty of attention further down the field as power unit changes for Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton mean they start at the back, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc starts 14th for a 10-grid place penalty.

And Mercedes' George Russell, who was left frustrated to not qualify first after a strategic error from the team, starts seventh following a five-place grid penalty for a new internal combustion engine, so several of F1's biggest names will begin the Sao Paulo Grand Prix - lights out at 5pm on Sunday with build-up from 3.30pm, live on Sky Sports F1 - out of position.

"It's almost a reverse grid race, no?" Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Sky Sports F1.

"Yeah, exciting. I think we want to lock in the points for the Constructors' Championship. But it's all floodgates open, the better. Let's race."

Sao Paulo GP: Top 10 Starting Grid

1) Lando Norris, McLaren

2) Kimi Antonelli,, Mercedes

3) Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

4) Nico Hulkenberg, Audi

5) Isack Hadjar, Red Bull

6) Oliver Bearman, Haas

7) George Russell, Mercedes

8) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

9) Alex Albon, Williams

10) Oscar Piastri, McLaren

How far can Verstappen and Hamilton climb up the field?

Verstappen is no stranger to making his way through the pack at Interlagos after his remarkable victory from 17th in 2024 in the rain.

The Red Bull driver, who has won three times in Brazil, gained 11 places in the opening 11 laps before making the right strategy call to take a crucial victory.

Last year, Verstappen started from the pit lane and impressively charged his way to the podium in dry conditions, but he thinks it will be more difficult to get towards the front this time around.

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Watch the best overtakes from Max Verstappen's stellar performance at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix which took him all the way from the pit lane to the podium

"It's going to be a bit harder to overtake. The Overtake Mode doesn't really do a lot around here. Everyone is draining their battery from the last corner to Turn 1. Everyone has their wings open, so the effect is less than normal," he told Sky Sports F1.

"That will make it a bit harder to overtake once you get to the cars that are similar on lap times. The first few cars are not a problem. The others will be a little harder."

What is Overtake Mode in F1?

Overtake Mode has been a replacement for DRS since the start of this year.

It’s a mode the car goes into when you are within one second of the car in front.

It allows the following car a higher car speed while still deploying maximum energy from the electric motor.

On a normal lap, when the car reaches 180mph, it has to, by regulation, ramp down its electric motor power. With Overtake Mode active, that speed tolerance raises to 209mph, so the following car is allowed to go faster.

Hamilton memorably went from 20th to fifth in the 2021 Sprint in Brazil, after he was disqualified from Qualifying, then won the Grand Prix after starting 10th.

However, Hamilton will not have the same car advantage from five years ago with Ferrari struggling this weekend compared to their recent form.

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Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen reflected on a wet qualifying session in Sao Paulo

But, the high chance of rain means Hamilton, and Verstappen, will have the chance to showcase their extraordinary skill and could still find themselves towards the pointy end of the field with a special performance.

"It will be tricky conditions but I love racing in the rain," said Hamilton.

"I was basically using the qualifying as a test to make sure the engine is working, and making sure the car felt good. I feel good for tomorrow."

Leclerc has less cars to overtake from 14th and feels he learned a lot from the wet qualifying by experimenting with set-up tweaks which will benefit him in the race.

"It's going to be very tricky. My biggest strength in the junior categories has been wet driving. Since my nine years with Ferrari, we have never found a way around it," he told Sky Sports F1.

"I still believe if we manage to find the right window of this car, we can fight for much better than top six."

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Charles Leclerc says he's 'settled' feud with Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton after their clash in last week's Mexico City GP

Norris hoping for 'dark, gloomy day' to fight Antonelli

Perhaps quite fittingly, last year's F1 world champion Norris will start on pole from the new world champion Antonelli in the first race since the latter secured this year's title a week ago in Mexico.

McLaren have brought a new front wing, rear wing, beam wing and floor elements to their car this weekend and it appears to have made an immediate performance impact.

Norris and Antonelli traded lap times throughout Friday's practice sessions in the dry but the McLaren driver feels he needs rain to beat Antonelli on Sunday.

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Lando Norris reacted to claiming pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

"I expect a battle no matter what. If it's dry, I probably expect a bigger battle because I don't think we quite have the speed compared to them," he told Sky Sports F1.

"That's why I feel like we had a very good day today. We made the most of conditions where it's not so much about who has the best car, it's more who can push things to the limit and make the most of that opportunity.

"I'm hoping when I wake up it's a dark, gloomy day because we will have a better chance then."

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Torrential rain brings out the red flag a minute after the Qualifying session begins in Sao Paulo

Norris pointed to Antonelli's impressive long run pace in the dry on Friday as the reason he's hoping for rain, whereas the Mercedes driver says he's open to any conditions.

"Hopefully, we can get off the line well, and let's see if it's going to be wet or dry," said Antonelli.

"In the dry, I felt very good over a single lap and on the long run, especially in FP2. So let's see. I'm looking forward to it.

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George Russell was seething after being told to back off at a time when he believed he could have pushed for P1 during the Q3 session in Sao Paulo

Mercedes have a big opportunity to win the Constructors' Championship with Antonelli starting in second and Russell in seventh, while the two Ferraris are outside of the top 13.

If Mercedes outscore Ferrari by three points, or more, they will seal their ninth title since 2014 but the result of the race itself appears to be more important to the drivers, and Russell is hoping for more rain following his impressive qualifying.

"I felt really confident in the rain. I think my pace, along with Lando's, was by far the best out there," he said

"In the rain here, it's always a challenge. I hope it is wet. I feel I've got a greater chance if it's wet."

Sky Sports F1's live Sao Paulo GP Schedule

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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Sunday November 8
3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
5pm: THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX
7pm: Chequered Flag: Sao Paulo GP reaction
8pm: Ted's Notebook

Formula 1 is in Brazil for the final leg of the triple header with the Sao Paulo Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW