Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time during Friday’s practice sessions for the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos. The newly crowned World Champion recorded a 1:10.763 in FP2, demonstrating Mercedes’ strong form.
Lando Norris, the 2025 F1 World Champion, was second fastest in FP2 for McLaren, 0.253 seconds behind Antonelli. Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull, a further 0.006 seconds adrift.
Norris had previously topped the FP1 session with a 1:11.717, ahead of Antonelli and Verstappen. The McLaren team introduced a significant four-part aerodynamic upgrade package for this event, including a redesigned front wing, a new rear wing assembly, an updated beam wing, and modified floor furniture.
Verstappen experienced a challenging day, reporting issues with gearbox downshifts, clutch behaviour, and power steering. He concluded FP2 early due to these problems. Red Bull confirmed they are planning several changes to his car ahead of qualifying.
George Russell finished fourth in FP2 and fifth in FP1. He will incur a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race after Mercedes opted to fit a new internal combustion engine to his car. This marks his second engine-related grid drop of the season.
Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finished sixth and seventh respectively in FP2. Leclerc described Friday as ‘very, very difficult’ and noted the car felt ‘strange’ and ‘very poor’ in corners, with the team struggling with tyre temperatures and overall performance.
Nico Hulkenberg did not set a time in FP2 for Audi due to a suspected electrical problem. This issue followed a stoppage for rookie Freddie Slater, who drove Hulkenberg’s car in FP1.
Seven rookie drivers participated in FP1. Rafael Câmara made his Formula 1 debut for Haas, while Leonardo Fornaroli drove for McLaren, Luke Browning for Williams, Gabriele Minì for Alpine, Freddie Slater for Audi, Colton Herta for Cadillac, and Dino Beganovic for Ferrari.
Colton Herta successfully completed the necessary mileage in FP1 to secure the final Super Licence point required for F1 eligibility. Rafael Câmara faced an investigation for impeding Leclerc during FP2.
Pirelli has supplied softer tyre compounds for this Grand Prix, with the C3 as Hard, C4 as Medium, and C5 as Soft. Resurfacing work between Turns 3-5 and Turns 8-9 at Interlagos is expected to influence grip levels and tyre degradation.
The weather forecast indicates a high probability of rain for the remainder of the weekend. Saturday’s FP3 and qualifying sessions have a 60-90% chance of rain and thunderstorms. Sunday’s race is predicted to be cooler, with a 50-95% chance of heavy rain.
The top ten classification for FP2 was: 1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 2. Lando Norris (McLaren), 3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 4. George Russell (Mercedes), 5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 8. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), 9. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), 10. Oliver Bearman (Haas).
