LIVE: 2025 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix - São Paulo Sprint Qualifying

Lando Norris heads into Sprint Qualifying as the narrow favorite after topping the sole free practice session in Interlagos, just 0.023 seconds ahead of his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. McLaren showed dominant pace, with a six-tenth advantage over the next quickest car, Nico Hulkenberg's Stake F1.

Why it matters:

The upcoming Sprint Qualifying session in São Paulo is crucial as it sets the grid for Saturday's Sprint Race, which awards championship points. McLaren's strong performance in practice suggests they could be major contenders for points, potentially narrowing the gap to rivals or solidifying their position in the Constructors' Championship.

The details:

• McLaren's Dominance: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri led the only free practice session, demonstrating superior pace. Norris set the fastest lap, with Piastri just fractions behind, indicating a strong car setup for both drivers.
• Significant Gap: McLaren's six-tenth advantage over the third-placed car (Nico Hulkenberg) is substantial, hinting at a potential performance gap on this track layout.
• Red Bull and Ferrari Concerns: Reigning champion Max Verstappen, along with Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Yuki Tsunoda, ended practice in the bottom four.
  • Tire Strategy: A key factor is that these drivers only set lap times on the hard tire during practice. This could explain their lower positions, as the hard compound is typically slower than the medium or soft tires used for qualifying.
  • Pace Uncertainty: Their true pace for Sprint Qualifying remains a significant unknown, adding an element of unpredictability to the session.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to Sprint Qualifying, where teams will unveil their true pace on softer tire compounds. The performance of Red Bull and Ferrari, particularly after their quiet practice session, will be closely watched. This session will be pivotal in shaping the Sprint Race grid and could offer early insights into who has the competitive edge for the weekend.