F1 Brazilian GP 2026: Antonelli Tops Interlagos Practice Ahead of Norris

Kimi Antonelli Dominates Brazilian Grand Prix Practice at Interlagos

Fresh off his world championship victory in Mexico, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli set the pace during Friday practice at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, clocking a blistering lap of 110763 in the afternoon session universdusport.fr. While McLaren’s Lando Norris established early dominance by topping the morning timesheets, Antonelli’s afternoon performance left him as the only driver to break the 111 barrier on the Interlagos circuit.

The opening day of track action on November 6, 2026, showcased a rapidly shifting competitive order as teams wrestled with tyre degradation and technical gremlins. According to paddock-gp.com, Kimi Antonelli led the session ahead of Norris and Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, proving that his recent title win has done nothing to blunt his competitive edge.

Lando Norris opened the weekend’s hostilities during the first free practice session, steering his McLaren to the top spot with a lap of 111717 paddock-gp.com. Lando Norris slotted into second place just 82 milliseconds adrift, while Verstappen claimed third, though the reigning world champion voiced frustration over downshifts and a heavy steering feel. Further down the order, rookie drivers took advantage of the morning session to gain valuable mileage, with Gabriele Minì stepping in for Alpine, Leonardo Fornaroli filling in for McLaren, and Luke Browning driving for Williams.

The afternoon session saw a dramatic reshuffle as teams dialled in their setups for qualifying simulations. Antonelli unleashed the fastest lap of the day, finishing 0253 ahead of Norris and 0259 clear of Verstappen universdusport.fr. George Russell placed fourth in the Mercedes, highlighting a strong performance for the team despite facing a grid penalty for a power unit change.

Ferrari Struggles and Traffic Trouble at Interlagos

Ferrari endured a frustrating Friday marked by persistent tyre management issues and a dramatic near-miss on track. Charles Leclerc found his qualifying simulation compromised when Haas rookie Rafael Câmara drifted across the racing line in the final left-hander leading onto the main straight. FIA stewards subsequently reprimanded Camara for erratic driving, noting that the young Brazilian had been repeatedly warned over team radio about the approaching Ferrari universdusport.fr.

Lewis Hamilton managed a fourth-place finish in the morning session but slipped to sixth in the afternoon as tyre wear continued to plague the Scuderia. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur faces mounting pressure to find technical solutions as the team struggles to extract consistent pace from its chassis.

Repairs Sideline Hülkenberg from Second Practice Session

Nico Hülkenberg did not participate in the second practice session because Audi was still completing repairs on the car after an earlier mechanical issue.

More on this story: Antonelli leads São Paulo FP2 by 0.253s over Norris and Verstappen

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