Sao Paulo Grand Prix tyre choice and circuit changes ahead of Round 20

Round 20 of the Formula 1 season takes place at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo, with Free Practice 1 and 2 on Friday, November 6, Free Practice 3 and Qualifying on Saturday, November 7, and the Grand Prix on Sunday, November 8.

Former Renault driver Jolyon Palmer described the circuit as short but fun to drive, with a tricky first corner where drivers can brake later than expected but risk locking the front left. He said the middle sector depends on rhythm, and the final corner is critical for exit speed onto the long straight. The anti-clockwise layout and long, loaded left-handers were also highlighted as physically demanding.

Pirelli has selected the C3 as hard, C4 as medium and C5 as soft compounds, one step softer than last year's Sprint weekend. Resurfacing between Turns 3 and 5 and Turns 8 and 9 could alter grip and track evolution, and the free practice sessions will be used to assess how the new surface affects degradation.