Formula 1
Norris Leads Antonelli in Opening Sao Paulo Practice
The McLaren driver finishes 0.082 seconds clear of the newly crowned champion as rookie running and reliability problems shape the session.
Lando Norris led opening practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Friday, finishing 0.082 seconds ahead of newly crowned Formula 1 champion Kimi Antonelli.
The McLaren driver completed a lap of Interlagos in 1 minute, 11.717 seconds, according to Formula 1’s session report. Max Verstappen was third, 0.236 seconds behind Norris, followed by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
Six regular drivers handed their cars to rookies for the session. Rafael Camara also made his first appearance in the 2026 Haas as he began his Grand Prix debut weekend at home.
Freddie Slater stopped on track in his Audi, bringing out a red flag. Williams driver Alex Albon’s running ended with a loss of power steering, while Verstappen reported that his steering was becoming harder to turn.
Gabriele Mini finished seventh in Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, the highest placing among the six substitute rookies.
