Kimi Antonelli was fastest in second practice for this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix; the new world champion set a 10.763 to put his Mercedes just over a quarter of a second faster than Lando Norris. Antonelli moved to the top of the times just before the halfway mark on his soft tyres.
That lap moved the Italian clearly ahead of Norris as the outgoing champion put his McLaren half a hundredth ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Antonelli may have started to unleash some of the Mercedes pace for the first time this weekend, as he was the only driver to get close to the seventy-second mark. But the youngest-ever world champion last weekend in Mexico suffered from heavy bottoming on the bumpy layout.
McLaren will also be happy with their performance on Friday, with them bringing upgrades to the car; Norris also appeared quick on the longer runs at the end of the session. The team are locked in a battle with Red Bull for third in the constructors ‘ standings after Verstappen’s victories in three of the last four Grands Prix.
McLaren were seen going into the second half of the season as the closest to Mercedes, but that unravelled with a series of mistakes, collisions and bad luck. Norris suggested that despite struggling in FP2, they were closer to Mercedes if they could iron out a few issues, but the upgrades were working. The outgoing world champion, last year’s winner in Sao Paulo, appeared quick on the longer runs too.
George Russell was a hundredth and a half further behind; however, the Englishman has a five-place grid penalty following an engine change. The Englishman was two and three-quarters off teammate Antonelli’s fastest time, as he went half a tenth ahead of Oscar Piastri.
Lewis Hamilton put his Ferrari sixth as he went over a quarter of a second ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc, who had sat out FP1 as his final session for a young driver this season. Leclerc had arrived late in São Paulo, having been on paternity leave following the birth of his daughter, Bianca.
Gabriel Bortoleto had another strong session ahead of his home Grand Prix, he put his Audi best of the midfield as he went three tenths behind Leclerc and ahead of Isack Hadjar by six hundredths. However, teammate Nico Hulkenberg is yet to do any running after his car stopped in FP1, when rookie Freddie Slater stopped on track with an electrical issue.
Isack Hadjar was ninth, putting his Red Bull a tenth and a half ahead of Ollie Bearman as they completed the top ten. Franco Colapinto missed out on the top ten by five thousandths, as the Argentine went a hundredth faster than the Racing Bull’s.
Arvid Lindblad was three and a half hundredths faster than teammate Liam Lawson. While Colapinto’s teammate Pierre Gasly was four tenths off. Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin a further four tenths off.
Rafael Camara first day with Haas saw him in sixteenth after a largely trouble-free day; he was a quarter of a tenth behind Alonso. But he did get in Leclerc’s way on the fast uphill run to the start-finish line and was summoned to the stewards. The Brazilian split the two Spaniards as he went nearly two tenths faster than Carlos Sainz
Lance Stroll put his Aston Martin a hundredth faster than Alex Albon, as the Cadillac completed the field. Sergio Perez just under seven hundredths ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas.
