Antonelli tops FP2 in Sao Paulo as Mercedes looks strong

Kimi Antonelli topped the second practice session for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, setting a time of 1:10.763 and finishing 0.253 seconds ahead of Lando Norris in second. Max Verstappen was a further six-thousandths of a second behind the McLaren driver, with the leading group separated by small margins.

George Russell was fourth, 0.273 seconds off his team-mate, but faces a five-place grid penalty for Sunday after taking a new internal combustion engine. Antonelli said the low-grip conditions made it hard to find the right balance, but the team had made progress between the two sessions.

Antonelli expects a tight fight in qualifying, with McLaren and Red Bull looking strong and Ferrari likely to find extra pace when it matters. Weather could also play a part in the weekend.