World · Malaysia Bureau
Antonelli leads second practice at São Paulo Grand Prix
New world champion Kimi Antonelli set the pace in Friday's second practice session at the São Paulo Grand Prix, posting a fastest lap of one minute 10.763 seconds. The pace-setter finished ahead of Lando Norris, who trailed by just over a quarter-second.
LSN Malaysia ·
Antonelli's commanding performance in the afternoon session underscored his form as he enters the remainder of the season following his recent championship confirmation. The Italian driver's time of 1min 10.763sec proved sufficient to secure the day's top spot during the secondary free practice session at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace circuit.
Norris, the McLaren driver, completed the top two positions with a deficit of 0.253 seconds to Antonelli, demonstrating the competitive nature of the current grid. The gap between the leading contenders suggested close racing prospects for the weekend's qualifying and race day.
The second practice session provided teams with crucial data and feedback as they prepare for qualifying and race day. Friday's running gave engineers and drivers an opportunity to evaluate setup configurations and assess tyre performance across different fuel loads ahead of Saturday's official qualifying session.
The São Paulo Grand Prix continues to draw strong competition among the grid's leading drivers, with the weekend's results expected to influence championship and constructors' standings. Teams will utilise overnight analysis to refine strategies and car setups for the remainder of the event.