Kevin Magnussen and his Haas team managed a tricky, rain hit qualifying session impeccably to deliver a shock pole position for today’s sprint race at the Interlagos.
He clinched pole position after a superbly-executed opening lap in Q3 on slick tyres as rain began to fall at the track. As the rain worsened, the team realised he had a genuine chance of pole position as others would be unable to improve their lap times.
When George Russell spun off and caused a red flag, the team feared a delay could give the track a chance to dry out and put his position in jeopardy. However the conditions remained too poor for slick tyres when the session restarted, and Magnussen had achieved a remarkable triumph.
Magnussen’s Brazilian GP qualifying transcript
Q1
Drivers opted for intermediate tyres as qualifying began on a damp track. Magnussen found his wore out quickly, but chose a second set for his next run as the track hadn’t dried out quickly enough for intermediates.
| Slade | Wait for the green light. Wait for the green light. All cars behind so far are on inters, 40 seconds. |
| Slade | 25 seconds. |
| Slade | Just over 10 seconds, Kev. |
| Slade | Five seconds. |
| Slade | Green light. |
| Magnussen | Okay. Track is inter. |
| Slade | Mode push, good to go. |
| Slade | BC1, please, BC1. |
| Slade | Keep pushing on the next lap, please. |
| Slade | SOC when possible. SOC three when possible. |
| Magnussen | Tyres are dead. |
| Slade | Copy, tyres are dead. |
| Magnussen | It’s drying up quickly. |
| Slade | So we’ll box, for inters or dries, Kev? Watch Hamilton two-and-a-half seconds behind, timed lap. |
| Magnussen | It’s not dry yet. I don’t know. Should we stay out just to monitor the… |
| Slade | We will box for inters, we’ll box for inters. |
| Magnussen | Okay. Box, box. |
| Slade | Hamilton one-and-a-half seconds behind. |
| Magnussen | I think it’s not dry yet. |
| Slade | Copy that. How is the balance? Should we add front wing or are you happy. |
| Magnussen | Er, please add front wing. |
| Slade | Copy that. |
Having set a 1’19.789 on his first run, Magnussen was unable to improve on his next effort. Meanwhile other drivers had decided to risk slicks and found the track was ready for them.
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| Slade | K2 please Kev K2. Watch out for Gasly as you come out of pit exit. Okay he’s just going past now. |
| Magnussen | Do you want SOC two? |
| Slade | Let’s go SOC two. SOC three, SOC three please Kev. |
| Magnussen | Copy, SOC three. |
| Slade | Next car Leclerc, seven seconds behind. |
| Slade | Watch out for what Tsunoda, sorry, Tsunoda, I don’t know where he came from. He’s two seconds behind, I… |
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