The Sao Paulo Grand Prix will be broadcast live on 5 Live and the BBC Sport website. Max Verstappen, the leader in the Championship standings, will face a five-place grid penalty during the event. This penalty comes as a result of his Red Bull team installing a new internal combustion engine, putting Verstappen over his allowed quota for the season.
As a consequence of the penalty, Verstappen can only start the race from a maximum of sixth place. He finished the practice session on Friday in 15th position. With 47 points separating him from second-place contender Lando Norris of McLaren, this weekend promises to be crucial, especially with a sprint race scheduled for Saturday.
In practice, Norris achieved the fastest lap, edging out Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.181 seconds with his final effort. Oliver Bearman, stepping in for Kevin Magnussen at Haas due to the latter’s illness, secured third place in practice, marking a strong showing for British drivers. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri came in fourth, followed by Williams’ Alex Albon and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Completing the top ten were Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton found himself in 16th place with Mercedes, similar to Verstappen as he opted not to complete a lap on soft tires during practice.
Although Verstappen attempted a soft-tire run towards the end of the session, he aborted it before finishing. He was close to matching Russell’s pace until he eased off before crossing the final corner. Hamilton chose to conserve his soft tires for later use throughout the weekend.
Bearman’s inclusion at Haas has added an interesting twist to the sprint event as fans look forward to how he will perform in place of Magnussen. The weekend is shaping up to be significant for both Verstappen and Norris as they navigate their strategies amid intense competition. As they gear up for both races, every detail will matter in their quest for glory on this challenging circuit.
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