Sao Paulo GP: Kimi Antonelli fastest for Mercedes in second practice at Interlagos ahead of Lando Norris in upgraded McLaren | F1 News

Kimi Antonelli completed an impressive first day back on track as F1’s new world champion to set the pace in second practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Five days after becoming the sport’s youngest title winner in Mexico, Antonelli followed up his second-fastest time from first practice with the quickest of the more representative second session around the undulating Interlagos lap.

Antonelli was the only driver to lap below 71 seconds with his benchmark time of 1:10.763 proving two tenths of a second quicker than nearest challengers Lando Norris, the P1 pacesetter, and Max Verstappen.

“I think Antonelli has just found a better rhythm around here than anyone else,” said Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok.

“Antonelli is driving without the baggage of the championship sitting on his shoulders and has found an incredible rhythm.”

But with fastest and second-fastest times of his own from Friday, Norris can also be satisfied with his day after McLaren introduced an upgrade to their MCL40 cars. The outgoing world champion, last year’s winner in Sao Paulo, appeared quick on the longer runs too.

The Woking team are the only team in the field with new parts this weekend as they bid to hit back against Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship over the final four rounds after being overtaken for third by their rivals after Verstappen’s run of three wins in four races.

George Russell was close behind Norris and Verstappen to finish fourth fastest in the second Mercedes. He carries a five-place grid penalty for a fresh engine into the weekend. Oscar Piastri was fifth in the other McLaren.

But it appeared a more difficult first day on track for Ferrari, particularly on the short runs.

Following the first-lap clash that cost the team a likely victory in Mexico, and prompted a Thursday evening meeting between the drivers and team principal Frederic Vasseur to clear the air, Lewis Hamilton was sixth fastest with Charles Leclerc seventh.

Leclerc returned to the track after missing Thursday’s media day and then Friday’s first session after flying back from Monaco following the birth of his first child, Bianca, earlier this week.

Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg was among the experienced drivers to sit out the opening session for rookies and reliability problems meant he ended the day without a lap on the board at all.

A technical problem had already stopped British youngster Freddie Slater after just seven laps while he was in the car in the first session and, while the team worked to repair it for the second hour, an electrical problem kept it sidelined for the rest of the day.

On the plus side, Gabriel Bortoleto was eighth quickest in the sole-running Audi ahead of his home grand prix. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar was ninth with Haas’ Oliver Bearman 10th.

Bortoleto is one of two Brazilians in the field this weekend after Haas replaced Esteban Ocon – who will not race for the team again – with Rafael Camara, the 21-year-old making his F1 debut on home soil.

Camara’s first day in the car was largely incident-free, finishing 16th fastest, half a second behind Bearman, although he did get in Leclerc’s way on the fast uphill run to the start-finish line and was summoned to the stewards after the second session.

‘We have gained performance’ – Norris optimistic McLaren in improved shape

Since a run of two wins either side of F1’s August summer break – followed by a victory that got away through Virtual Safety Car misfortune in Madrid – McLaren have endured a complicated run of races.

They start this weekend 17 points behind third-placed Red Bull in the standings but Norris sees early optimism following their latest round of car updates.

“I think FP1 we seemed quite easily on the pace,” he said.

“FP2 we struggled a little bit more to match the Mercedes but it’s been a pretty good start to the weekend and we have continued the trend we had in Mexico,” said Norris.

“All in all, a positive day. Today was also a day where we kind of work through the upgrades and see if they work as they should, and they do. We have seemed to gain performance.

“Nothing has changed from a driving point of view. Still tricky. But it’s maybe brought a little bit of lap time, which is what we want.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Sao Paulo GP Schedule

Saturday November 7
2.15pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Practice Three (session starts at 2.30pm)*
5pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Qualifying build-up
6pm: SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING
8pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday November 8
3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
5pm: THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX*
7pm: Chequered Flag: Sao Paulo City GP reaction
8pm: Ted’s Notebook

*also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 is in Brazil for the final leg of the triple header with the Sao Paulo Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW