Antonelli tops FP2 in Brazil as Russell trails in fourth

Kimi Antonelli, the reigning World Champion, topped the timing sheet in the second practice session at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, finishing 0.253 seconds clear of the field. He had been less than a tenth off the pace in the first session, and said he felt good in the car, particularly on single-lap runs, though low grip made the balance difficult to find.

George Russell ran a standard programme on Friday as he works to limit the impact of a five-place grid drop for Sunday, after taking on a new ICE. He was fifth in FP1 and fourth in FP2, but said the long-run pace looked stronger than his single-lap performance and that the car still had some understeer to remove.

Antonelli expects a tight fight at the front, with McLaren and Red Bull looking strong and Ferrari often finding extra pace in qualifying. Weather conditions could also influence the outcome.