Lawson starts third but believes a front-row start was possible

Liam Lawson will start Sunday's São Paulo Grand Prix third after qualifying fifth in Saturday's rain-hit session, but said he believed a front-row start was possible. Grid penalties for George Russell and Charles Leclerc moved him two places up the grid.

Lawson said he caught Fernando Alonso on his out-lap and had to abort his next attempt. He said the rain then prevented him from completing a final lap and that he had not made the most of the session.

His qualifying time was 0.226 seconds slower than Kimi Antonelli's. George Russell set the second-fastest time but had an engine penalty; beating Antonelli would have been enough to put Lawson on the front row.

Lawson said he could not know for sure as the rain came down. He nevertheless called third a good place to start and said he would take the positions gained through penalties, while still wanting more from his own qualifying performance.