Kimi Antonelli topped second practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix with a 1:10.763. Lando Norris was 0.253s back in second and Max Verstappen 0.259s behind in third. With no sprint this weekend, Friday offered just two practice sessions, and qualifying follows on Saturday.
Five drivers inside 0.3s
Norris, Verstappen, George Russell and Oscar Piastri all finished within 0.321s of Antonelli's time. With the top five that tightly bunched, this session alone does not say who is quickest. Russell set a 1:11.036 with about 35 minutes left, then dropped to third once Norris and Verstappen improved. At one point Norris, Verstappen and Russell were within 0.020s of each other.
Mercedes put both cars in the top four, Antonelli first and Russell fourth. Antonelli led early on the hard tyre; the official report does not state the compound for his final lap.
Ferrari: Hamilton sixth, Leclerc seventh
Lewis Hamilton was 0.450s off in sixth and Charles Leclerc 0.720s off in seventh. Formula1.com said Hamilton's tyre-related woes continued, and he also locked up into Turn 1. Leclerc reported a brake issue.
Leclerc also had a near-miss with Haas rookie Rafael Câmara on the main straight and was forced towards the wall. His engineer said it cost about two-tenths on his final lap. Ferrari already had a two-tenths deficit to Mercedes. A RacingNews365 headline mentioned a stewards' investigation of the incident, but we could not open that article.
Weather and tyres
The session started at 16:00 local time in misty, gloomy conditions. Isack Hadjar reported drizzle starting during the session. Pierre Gasly set the first flying lap on hards, a 1:14.165, and Leclerc went about 0.6s quicker on mediums. Hadjar briefly went second on softs. Late in the session the focus shifted to long runs.
Hülkenberg sets no time
Audi's Nico Hülkenberg did not run while the team worked on problems that also cut short Freddie Slater's FP1, according to formula1.com. His teammate Gabriel Bortoleto, a Brazilian, was eighth, 1.017s off. Hadjar was ninth (+1.076s) and Oliver Bearman tenth (+1.228s).
The sources differ on one point: formula1.com's classification lists 21 drivers and omits Hülkenberg, while Motorsport Week lists him 22nd with no time. None of the sources reported a red flag or a penalty.
