Fresh off securing his first Formula 1 world title, Kimi Antonelli maintained his competitive momentum by setting the fastest lap during the second practice session for the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver recorded a time of 1:10.783, navigating the foggy conditions at the Interlagos circuit to outpace his rivals, n-tv.de reported.
Antonelli’s performance in Sao Paulo comes shortly after his championship-clinching drive in Mexico. Reflecting on that title-winning race, the driver told Sueddeutsche.de that he was forced to ease off the throttle in the final laps, noting that tears had obscured his vision so severely he could barely see the track. Despite the emotional weight of that milestone, the young champion showed no signs of a post-celebration slump as he returned to the cockpit.
Performance gaps in Sao Paulo practice
Antonelli’s quickest lap in the second session left him 0.253 seconds clear of McLaren’s Lando Norris, who had topped the leaderboard in the earlier session. Max Verstappen, representing Red Bull, secured the third-fastest time. The Dutchman, who has claimed victory in three of the last four Grand Prix events, finished ahead of Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Further down the timesheet, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc occupied the subsequent positions. Leclerc, who missed the first practice session following the birth of his daughter, Bianca, returned to the track for the second outing.
Fred Vasseur defends team guidelines after crisis meeting
Scuderia Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur addressed the media regarding the relationship between his drivers following a recent crisis meeting. Vasseur described the session as having gone well, emphasizing that the team’s internal guidelines remain unchanged. According to n-tv.de, Vasseur stressed that while drivers must respect one another, their primary obligation is to “the brand, the team, the employees at home and at the track.” Vasseur added that Ferrari must come “at first place” in their priorities.
Technical setbacks for Nico Hulkenberg
The practice sessions in Interlagos proved difficult for Nico Hulkenberg. The German driver was unable to log any representative lap time due to a technical issue with his Audi. During the first session, the car was piloted by junior driver Freddie Slater, who was forced to stop on track just minutes into the run due to a suspected electrical failure. The team’s subsequent investigation into the fault meant that Hulkenberg remained sidelined for the remainder of the practice window.
Schedule for the Brazilian Grand Prix
The teams are scheduled to return to the track on Saturday for the third practice session at 15:30 CET, followed by qualifying at 19:00 CET. Meteorological reports cited by n-tv.de suggest that rain may be a significant factor during the weekend, potentially influencing both the qualifying grid and the final race results on Sunday.
Earlier coverage: Kimi Antonelli Sets Pace in Sao Paulo as Mercedes Close in on Constructors' Title
