Verstappen on pole in red-flagged Sao Paulo qualifying

SAO PAULO :Red Bull's triple Formula One world champion Max Verstappen beat the weather as well as his rivals to secure pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in a qualifying session halted by 'insane' conditions at Interlagos on Friday.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc joined Verstappen on the front row with the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso third and fourth.

Verstappen was quick out of the pits as storm clouds loomed, getting a flying lap in to secure provisional pole before gusting winds, rain and flashes of lightning halted the track action.

"We didn’t know when it would hit in qualifying, we thought it would hit. This is of course insane weather," said the 26-year-old, who secured his third title in Qatar last month.

McLaren's Australian rookie Oscar Piastri had already skidded off onto the grass, triggering yellow flags.

With the rain expected imminently, Verstappen overtook the Mercedes of last year's winner George Russell as they exited the pit lane.

Leclerc, who had been on pole for the two previous races, was 0.294 slower.

"In my whole career I have never experienced something like that. From Turn Four onwards there was no rain. But the car was extremely difficult to drive, no grip," said the Monegasque.

"I was thinking about coming in at the end of the lap but I finished it and it was P2. So a really good surprise. A very weird one for everyone at the track."

The governing FIA stopped the clock with four minutes remaining and said the session would not be re-started.

Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton and Russell filled the third row, with McLaren's Lando Norris seventh and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz eighth and Red Bull's Sergio Perez ninth.

Mexican Perez was forced to slow on his lap after