Sao Paulo (AFP) - British McLaren driver Lando Norris, last year's world champion, topped the first free trials of the Brazilian Grand Prix on Friday, ahead of the new world champion, Italian Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Published on: 06/11/2026 - 18:39
Norris, who won last year's Brazilian Grand Prix, set the fastest lap with a time of 1 minute and 11.717 seconds, 0.082 seconds ahead of his 20-year-old successor at the Interlagos circuit.
Red Bull driver and four-time world champion Dutchman Max Verstappen came in third place in front of Ferrari driver and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, while Antonelli's Mercedes teammate, Briton George Russell, finished fifth and will be penalized by dropping five places on the starting line for Sunday's race after adopting a new engine.
Red Bull II's French driver Isaac Hajjar finished sixth in front of Italian Alpine driver Gabriele Mini, one of seven rookie drivers given a chance to show their potential.
Antonelli and Hamilton honored the late Brazilian Formula One legend Ayrton Senna by wearing canary yellow helmets.
Antonelli became the youngest world champion in Formula One history a week ago in Mexico when he finished the race in third place.
The Italian, seeking his tenth victory this season in Sao Paulo, said: “I won the championship and then spent time with the Senna family.”
He added: "It was truly an incredible moment for me, and I certainly would have liked more time to sit, reflect and absorb what happened."
As for Hamilton, who is preparing to enter his 400th grand race and is still waiting for talks with Ferrari and Leclerc after their contact in Mexico, he initially recorded the fastest lap.
But Antonelli quickly overtook him, then Verstappen followed, before the red flags were raised and the session stopped for six minutes after the Audi car of Briton Freddie Slater stopped on the track.
Antonelli and Verstappen continued to exchange the fastest laps, with the Red Bull driver achieving a time of 1:11.953 minutes, despite his complaint about changing gears, saying: “This is unacceptable, man.” The new champion responded immediately by recording a lap of 1:11.799 minutes.
20 minutes before the end, Norris took the lead by 0.008 seconds, then improved his timing as he entered a racing rhythm that was reminiscent of his dominant performance a year ago when he won the race from pole position on the grid.
Here are the results of the first free trials:
1- Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:11.717 minutes (33 laps)
2- Kimi Antonelli (Italy/Mercedes) 1:11.799 (32)
3- Max Verstappen (Netherlands/Red Bull) 1:11.953 (29)
4- Lewis Hamilton (GB/Ferrari) 1:12.041 (31)
5- George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:12.103 (30)
6- Ishaq Hajjar (France/Red Bull) 1:12.156 (25)
7- Gabriele Mini (Italy/Alpine-Mercedes) 1:12.569 (28)
8- Gabriel Bortoletto (Brazil/Audi) 1:12.614 (30)
9- Franco Colapinto (Argentina/Alpine-Mercedes) 1:12.654 (34)
10- Liam Lawson (New Zealand/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) 1:12.715 (32)
11- Leonardo Fornaroli (Italy/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:12.833 (28)
12- Oliver Biermann (GBR/Haas-Ferrari) 1:12.837 (27)
13- Fernando Alonso (Spain/Aston Martin-Honda) 1:13.017 (26)
14- Arvid Lindblad (GBR/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) 1:13.038 (32)
15- Valtteri Bottas (Finland/Cadillac-Ferrari) 1:13.371 (16)
16- Alexander Albon (Thailand/Williams-Mercedes) 1:13.511 (18)
17- Luke Browning (GBR/Williams-Mercedes) 1:13.591 (12)
18- Rafael Camara (Brazil/Haas-Ferrari) 1:13.696 (30)
19- Lance Stroll (Canada/Aston Martin-Honda) 1:13.760 (28)
20- Colton Herta (USA/Cadillac-Ferrari) 1:14.275 (31)
21- Dino Pejanovic (Sweden/Ferrari) 1:14.357 (11)
22- Freddie Slater (GBR/Audi) 1:14.966 (7)
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© 2026 AFP
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