Lando Norris clinched the fastest lap in his upgraded McLaren, benefitting from world‑champion rookie Kimi Antonelli, during FP1 in São Paulo.
Though McLaren haven’t contested wins lately, Norris proved they can fight in Brazil, beating Antonelli by 0.082 seconds.
While rivals fine‑tune 2027 cars, McLaren introduced a fresh front wing, rear wing, beam wing and floor, instantly boosting performance.
Four different squads filled the top four, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third, 0.236s back, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton fourth, 0.324s off Norris.
George Russell, still moaning about his ‘atrocious luck’ this year, landed fifth, just ahead of Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar. For my money, his pace hints at a stronger weekend.
A five‑place grid penalty for a new ICE means Russell cannot start higher than sixth on Sunday at Interlagos.
Mercedes could seize the Constructors’ title this weekend if they outscore Ferrari by at least three points, while Antonelli entered the season as champion after his Mexico podium.
Antonelli honoured three‑time champion Ayrton Senna with a special tribute helmet.
Herta qualifies for F1 super licence – will he secure a 2027 Cadillac seat?
Six rookie stand‑ins took part in FP1, satisfying the rule that each rookie must log two practice runs across the season.
All eyes were on F2 driver Colton Herta, who completed the required 100 km at Interlagos to earn another super licence point.
That pushes him to 40 super licence points, the minimum for a full‑time F1 seat.
Although Valtteri Bottas signed a multi‑year deal starting 2026, his future at Cadillac looks shaky after a tough year compared with teammate Sergio Pérez.
Cadillac appears eager to field an American driver, now eyeing Herta as a possible Bottas replacement.
F2 leader Rafael Camara made his F1 debut, stepping in for Esteban Ocon at Haas after the latter was dropped following a dispute in Mexico.
Camara, confirmed for a full‑time Haas seat in 2027, posted an 18th‑place, clean run.
Alpine junior Gabriele Mini topped the rookie class in FP1, seventh overall, while McLaren’s Leonardo Fornaroli placed 11th.
Williams’ Luke Browning managed only 12 laps due to an issue; Ferrari’s Dino Beganovic, substituting for Charles Leclerc, spent most of the session in the garage for a floor change.
British teen Freddie Slater suffered a suspected gearbox failure, stopping mid‑sector in his Audi; a similar technical glitch cut his Mexico run short.
Friday November 6
6.45pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Practice Two (session starts at 7pm)
8.15pm: The F1 Show
Saturday November 7
2.15pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Practice Three (session starts at 2.30pm)*
5pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Qualifying build-up
6pm: SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING
8pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday November 8
3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
5pm: THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX*
7pm: Chequered Flag: Sao Paulo City GP reaction
8pm: Ted’s Notebook