Norris fastest in Sao Paulo practice ahead of Antonelli

Lando Norris set the pace in first practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, edging newly crowned World Champion Kimi Antonelli by 0.082 seconds. The McLaren driver set a 1:11.717 on soft tyres, with Max Verstappen third and Lewis Hamilton fourth, leaving four teams separated by little more than three tenths of a second.

The session was interrupted by a red flag for Audi rookie Freddie Slater. Verstappen, who finished 0.236 seconds behind Norris, complained about gearshift behaviour and increasingly heavy steering. McLaren also tested a revised front wing on Norris's car, though the team indicated the work was aimed mainly at its 2027 car.

Different fuel loads, tyre programmes and development work make it hard to judge whether McLaren has regained its edge over Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari, and rain threatens the weekend.