Key Highlights:
- Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap of Friday practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, topping the timesheets with a benchmark time of 1m 10.763s.
- Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and George Russell finished closely matched in second, third, and fourth positions, all trailing Antonelli by over two-tenths of a second.
- Nico Hulkenberg sat out the entire second session as Audi resolved technical issues, while Ferrari encountered traffic disruptions and brake problems.
Antonelli Sets the Pace in Gloomy Sao Paulo Practice
Kimi Antonelli asserted his authority on Friday at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, finishing the second practice session as the quickest driver of the day. The Italian driver recorded an impressive 1m 10.763s lap time, becoming the only competitor to break into the 1m 10s range during the hour-long session. Antonelli led a high-intensity battle at the sharp end of the field, eclipsing McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen under persistent overcast skies at the AutĂłdromo JosĂ© Carlos Pace.
Following a first practice run that featured multiple reserve and rookie drivers, the regular grid returned to their cockpits for Free Practice 2 at 16:00 local time. Drivers including Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Pierre Gasly, Nico Hulkenberg, Carlos Sainz, and Valtteri Bottas quickly took to the track to make up for lost time. Gasly’s Alpine laid down an initial benchmark of 1m 14.165s on hard tyres, which was swiftly overhauled by Leclerc on medium tyres and then Antonelli, whose early 1m 11.857s effort signaled strong pace right out of the gate.
Mid-Session Drama, Mechanical Woes, and Traffic Setbacks
As the session advanced, challenging conditions emerged. Isack Hadjar reported light drizzle over the circuit, while Leclerc notified the Ferrari garage of brake issues. In the sister Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton struggled with tyre lockups entering the heavy braking zone at Turn 1. Further down the pit lane, Audi suffered a major setback; Hulkenberg was unable to run after his car remained parked in the garage while mechanics worked through the mechanical gremlins that had previously shortened Freddie Slater’s Free Practice 1 session.
When teams transitioned to qualifying simulations on soft tyres with 35 minutes left on the clock, the competition escalated. Mercedes driver George Russell surged to the top with a 1m 11.036s lap, only to be supplanted almost immediately by Norris and Verstappen, with a microscopic gap of just 0.020 seconds spanning all three. However, Antonelli raised the bar decisively with his session-best run. Leclerc attempted to answer the Mercedes driver’s pace, but his flying lap was compromised down the main straight when he encountered Haas newcomer Rafael Camara, forcing the Ferrari driver toward the pit wall. Leclerc’s race engineer confirmed that the incident added two-tenths of a second to his time, pinning him down in seventh.
Long-Run Focus and How the Field Finished
The closing stages of the session saw teams divert their attention to high-fuel long runs. With the leaderboard locked in, Norris secured second place ahead of Verstappen in third and Russell in fourth, closely shadowed by Piastri in the second McLaren. A frustrated Hamilton took sixth place, battling persistent tyre difficulties. Leclerc settled in seventh behind his teammate, closely pursued by local favorite Gabriel Bortoleto, Hadjar, and Ollie Bearman rounding out the top ten for Haas.
The lower half of the classification saw Franco Colapinto take 11th ahead of Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson, followed by Gasly, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, and Camara. Williams driver Carlos Sainz ended up in 17th ahead of Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, Cadillac’s Sergio Perez, and Bottas. Hulkenberg was classified at the bottom of the timesheet without a registered time.
Why This Matters
Antonelli’s performance establishes Mercedes as a major contender for pole position heading into the competitive sessions of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend. With less than a tenth dividing Norris, Verstappen, and Russell behind him, the fight among the frontrunners remains extraordinarily tight. In contrast, Ferrari faces an uphill battle to rectify brake handling issues and optimize tyre performance ahead of qualifying. Down the order, Audi enters Saturday under immense pressure, with Hulkenberg severely lacking track mileage following an unfulfilled Friday programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who set the fastest time during Friday practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix?
Kimi Antonelli led Free Practice 2 with a session-topping time of 1m 10.763s, finishing ahead of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
Why did Nico Hulkenberg fail to set a lap time in FP2?
Audi kept Hulkenberg’s car in the garage for the entirety of the session while the team worked to resolve mechanical issues that had initially surfaced during Freddie Slater’s FP1 outing.
What disrupted Charles Leclerc’s qualifying simulation lap?
Leclerc was hindered on the main straight by Haas driver Rafael Camara, which forced the Ferrari driver toward the pit wall and cost him an estimated two-tenths of a second, leaving him seventh overall.