Upgrades make an instant mark at Interlagos
Lando Norris set the pace in first practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix a few hours ago, lapping in 1:11.717 to edge new world champion Kimi Antonelli by 0.082s. McLaren have not been fighting for wins in recent races. They arrived in Brazil with a new front wing, rear wing, beam wing and floor furniture, and the package showed up on the timesheet straight away.
Four different teams filled the top four. Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, 0.236s back, with Lewis Hamilton fourth for Ferrari at 0.324s. George Russell, who spoke on Thursday about his “atrocious luck” this season, took fifth, just ahead of Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar. Most teams are already thinking about their 2027 cars, which makes McLaren’s push for this weekend stand out.
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Russell’s penalty and a title chase
Russell will take a five-place grid penalty for a new internal combustion engine, so he cannot start higher than sixth on Sunday. Antonelli sealed the drivers’ crown last weekend with a podium in Mexico, and Mercedes can now take the constructors’ championship if they outscore Ferrari by three points or more. The new champion is also carrying a special helmet in tribute to Ayrton Senna.
Six replacement rookies ran in the session. Rafael Camara made his F1 debut for Haas in front of home fans, standing in for Esteban Ocon, who has been dropped for the rest of the season after a dispute in Mexico, and he finished 18th with a clean run. Colton Herta covered 100km to reach 40 super licence points, the minimum for racing full-time, which keeps him in the Cadillac conversation for 2027.
What comes next
Second practice starts at 7pm UK time, and qualifying follows at 6pm on Saturday. If McLaren’s gain holds on low fuel, the front of Sunday’s grid could look very different from recent weeks.
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