Brazil GP Friday Roundup: Antonelli Tops FP2, Ferrari Struggles, and Norris Eyes More Than One Title

Kimi Antonelli set the pace in the second practice session at Interlagos, posting a 1m10.763s to lead Lando Norris by 0.253s, with Max Verstappen a further 0.006s back in third. Norris had topped the opening session, making it a strong Friday overall for McLaren, whose latest upgrade package drew a cautious but positive reaction from the reigning world champion. Norris described the upgrades as "a pleasant surprise," though questions remain over whether the package will stay on the car for the rest of the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.

Verstappen did not complete the full second session, with Red Bull offering an explanation for the early finish, though the Dutchman remained competitive in third across both sessions, sitting within roughly two and a half tenths of the pace-setter each time.

It was a more difficult day at Ferrari. Charles Leclerc described Friday as giving him "one of the worst feelings" in practice and said he plans to make "significant" setup changes to his car ahead of qualifying. Adding to the Ferrari storylines, Leclerc also addressed an ongoing feud with team-mate Lewis Hamilton, stating the matter is now "settled" following talks between the two drivers. On a lighter note, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur declined an invitation to become godfather to Leclerc's newborn daughter Bianca — the driver and his wife Alexandra announced her birth on Wednesday — with Vasseur quipping that he already has four children of his own to manage.

Debutant Rafael Camara also made headlines for the wrong reasons, receiving a penalty after stewards deemed his involvement in an incident with Leclerc during his Formula 1 debut in Brazil to be "clearly dangerous."

Meanwhile, Norris reflected on how Lewis Hamilton's seven world championships have reshaped his own ambitions. Having claimed his maiden title in 2025 after a hard-fought battle with McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and a late-season challenge from Verstappen, Norris said Hamilton's record has left him dissatisfied with winning just one.