Who was fastest in first practice for the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix?

Lando Norris (McLaren) with a 1:11.717, ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen.

Why did Charles Leclerc miss first practice at Interlagos?

He stayed away following the birth of his first child and returns for the second session. Dino Beganovic drove his Ferrari instead.

Who has won the most races at Interlagos?

Michael Schumacher, with four wins (1994, 1995, 2000, 2002). Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel have three each.

Why was first practice in São Paulo red-flagged?

Around 12 minutes in, Freddie Slater's Audi switched off and stopped on track, so the session was halted.

Norris tops São Paulo Grand Prix first practice

Six drivers inside half a second, seven new faces on track and an early red flag: how the weekend opened at Interlagos.

Lando Norris set the pace in first practice for the São Paulo Grand Prix with a 1:11.717, 0.082s clear of newly crowned world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli. It is the third year running that the McLaren driver has led the opening session at Interlagos.

Six drivers within 0.439s

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, 0.236s off the pace, with Lewis Hamilton fourth in the Ferrari, 0.324s down. George Russell and Isack Hadjar completed a top six covered by less than half a second. Home favourite Gabriel Bortoleto put his Audi eighth.

A red flag halted running after around 12 minutes when Freddie Slater, standing in for Nico Hülkenberg at Audi, stopped on track with a car that had simply switched off. He managed only seven laps and finished last. Williams had a difficult afternoon too: Alexander Albon struggled with a mechanical problem and Luke Browning completed just 12 laps.

Seven new faces

Five other young drivers joined Slater in borrowed cars. Dino Beganovic drove Charles Leclerc's Ferrari, with Leclerc returning for the second session after the birth of his first child. Leonardo Fornaroli took over Oscar Piastri's McLaren, Browning stepped into Carlos Sainz's Williams, Gabriele Minì drove Pierre Gasly's Alpine and Colton Herta ran in Sergio Pérez's Cadillac. At Haas, Rafael Câmara replaces Esteban Ocon for the whole weekend.

Minì was the pick of the stand-ins in seventh, 0.085s quicker than team-mate Franco Colapinto. Fornaroli finished 11th and Câmara 18th. Herta logged 31 largely trouble-free laps in 20th, which should earn him the final point he needs for a superlicence.

Norris joins Häkkinen and Hamilton

In the practice data available since 1990, only Mika Häkkinen (1998-2000) and Lewis Hamilton (2015-2017) had previously topped first practice at Interlagos in three consecutive years. Friday speed has rarely guaranteed Sunday glory, though. Häkkinen won twice during his streak and Hamilton once. Norris could not convert his 2024 practice lead into victory, but he did exactly that last year.

Two drivers one win away from Schumacher

Verstappen and Hamilton have three Interlagos wins apiece, the same tally as Sebastian Vettel. A fourth would draw either of them level with Michael Schumacher, the most successful driver in the circuit's history.

Most Grand Prix wins at Interlagos — At least two wins, 1973-2025, sprints excluded
Label	Value	Note
Michael Schumacher	4	1994, 1995, 2000, 2002
Lewis Hamilton	3	2016, 2018, 2021
Max Verstappen	3	2019, 2023, 2024
Sebastian Vettel	3	2010, 2013, 2017
Ayrton Senna	2	1991, 1993
Emerson Fittipaldi	2	1973, 1974
Mika Häkkinen	2	1998, 1999
Felipe Massa	2	2006, 2008
Juan Pablo Montoya	2	2004, 2005
Nico Rosberg	2	2014, 2015
Mark Webber	2	2009, 2011

Norris took his only Interlagos win last year, so he is not on this list yet.

A tight fight for second

The pair are just as close in the drivers' championship, with Verstappen second on 261 points, Hamilton third on 259 and Russell fourth on 250. The title itself is settled: Antonelli has 380 points, nine wins and 16 podiums from 19 races. Norris sits sixth on 221, while Mercedes lead the constructors' championship on 630 points, 126 ahead of Ferrari.

How little a quick Friday promises at Interlagos shows in the pole record too: only 19 of the 42 Grands Prix held here have been won from pole position. Russell, meanwhile, faces a grid penalty this weekend.