Verstappen Sets the Pace in Sao Paulo Free Practice Amid Weather Uncertainty
Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the final practice session for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Saturday at Interlagos, clocking a 1:11.622 on soft tyres despite a late-session spin and handling complaints, according to reporting from Sport.
The Red Bull driver edged out Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli by just 0.025 seconds. Antonelli had established the early benchmark on medium tyres, running 0.070 seconds quicker than the Dutchman during the opening phases of the morning session.
On-Track Incidents and Rival Complaints
Verstappen’s run to the top of the timesheet was far from smooth. The reigning world champion lost control of his RB20 in Turn 4, catching the car at the last moment to avoid a collision with the barrier. He also voiced sharp frustration over team radio regarding Pierre Gasly, accusing the Alpine driver of placing him in a dangerous situation on track.
FP3 CLASSIFICATION Max tops final practice in Sao Paulo 🇧🇷#F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/iFG9jTZaJT
Once fitted with the red-banded soft compound, however, Verstappen established a time that remained unbeaten. Lando Norris, George Russell, and Charles Leclerc rounded out the top positions behind Verstappen and Antonelli as teams prepared for the afternoon qualifying session scheduled for 19:00 UTC.
Grid Penalties and Engine Failures Hit Title Contenders
Sport reports that Verstappen carries a grid penalty for Sunday’s main race after taking multiple new power unit elements. He is not alone in making changes; Ferrari confirmed power unit swaps for both Leclerc and Hamilton that will result in ten-place grid drops on Sunday.
Lewis Hamilton faced compounding issues during the final practice hour. A sudden engine failure forced the Mercedes driver to park his car early, ending his FP3 session prematurely and leaving him to head into qualifying without any data on the soft tyre compound.
Reliability Woes Hamper Aston Martin and Williams
Aston Martin endured another difficult morning session as reliability gremlins struck Lance Stroll’s car. Stroll managed roughly twenty minutes of running before an ERS-related issue forced him back to the garage and out of the car, extending a run of Honda power unit reliability concerns following similar troubles in Mexico.
Fernando Alonso struggled significantly for pace, finishing 1.5 seconds off the leading benchmark. Sport notes that the Spanish veteran faces an uphill battle to advance past Q1, a challenge shared by Carlos Sainz due to an uncompetitive Williams chassis at the Interlagos circuit.
Officials Monitor Severe Weather Threats for Qualifying
Track officials and teams are monitoring severe weather forecasts pointing toward heavy storms and potential flooding at Interlagos. While Saturday morning’s FP3 played out on a dry track, organizers face the real possibility of postponing the qualifying session to Sunday morning if the incoming meteorological warnings materialize.
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