F1 Brazil GP: Kimi Antonelli Dominates Long Runs as Ferrari Endures Nightmare Friday

Antonelli Sets the Pace at Interlagos for Mercedes

Mercedes emerged as the clear frontrunner during Friday practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with newly crowned world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli establishing himself as the driver to beat. Antonelli set the fastest single-lap time during Free Practice 2, finishing 0.253 seconds clear of McLaren’s Lando Norris and 0.259 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. More crucially, the Italian driver translated this raw qualifying speed into an authoritative display during the race simulations later in the afternoon.

When stint lengths and tyre compounds were adjusted for Brazil’s notorious tyre degradation, Antonelli remained at the top of the timing sheets over extended runs. His 20-lap stint on the soft compound tyre served as a particular highlight. Team-mate George Russell ranked as the second-fastest driver in race trim, though his adjusted average trailed Antonelli by 0.311 seconds per lap. Verstappen was third in the long-run calculations, 0.474 seconds adrift of the leading Mercedes.

Despite his commanding form, Antonelli noted that fine-tuning is still required heading into the weekend. “It wasn’t bad,” he said. “I felt good with the car over a single lap. There is still a little bit of work to do on the long run. Overall, though, I feel good and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord reaffirmed the team’s strong foundation, noting that although drivers encountered understeer—a trait thought to have been eradicated by updates introduced in Malaysia—the underlying pace is robust. Lord estimated Mercedes’ race pace to be level with Norris and Verstappen while predicting Ferrari would rebound as track temperatures increase on Saturday.

Sector Analysis Highlights Chassis Balance; McLaren and Red Bull Chasing

Telemetry and sector data reveal that Mercedes built its advantage primarily in the technical and high-speed portions of the circuit. While Ferrari held an early advantage through Sector 1, Mercedes dominated Sector 2—the twisty, technical mid-section—as well as the straight-line blasts of Sector 3. This indicates that the Silver Arrows have found an effective aerodynamic balance, maintaining downforce through corners without sacrificing straight-line speed.

By contrast, Verstappen experienced a steady loss of time across all three sectors in the Red Bull, demonstrating no singular weak point but a general deficit. Norris saw an identical trend with McLaren, acknowledging the step forward Mercedes took between sessions. “FP1 was certainly a surprise – a pleasant one. In FP2, we struggled a little more compared to Mercedes. Basically, we were two tenths of a second off on every lap,” Norris said. However, Norris remained optimistic regarding McLaren’s new aerodynamic package, noting the components tested on Friday performed as intended ahead of a full-package rollout on Saturday.

Ferrari Slumps Over a Second Off the Pace

The standout disappointment of the Friday sessions came from Scuderia Ferrari, who dropped well outside the front-running fight. In qualifying simulations, Lewis Hamilton lagged 0.45 seconds behind the benchmark on the short Interlagos layout. The race simulations painted an even bleaker picture: Charles Leclerc’s adjusted long-run pace was 1.072 seconds off Antonelli, while Hamilton trailed by 1.090 seconds per lap.

Sector breakdowns indicate that Ferrari lost substantial performance in the twisty middle sector and was reduced to matching Aston Martin’s speeds on the straights in the final sector. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur addressed the performance drop, citing electronic and handling discrepancies: “We had a few issues with energy deployment during the laps. We still need to fine-tune everything. On his fastest lap, he lost a few tenths on the straight. I would say it’s not a disaster,” he explained.

Vasseur added that track characteristics played a major role in unsettling the car’s setup: “We know that we still have a lot of work to do on the balance. The balance wasn’t good, it wasn’t great. I think the asphalt is the complete opposite of what we had a week ago. That creates a lot of work and makes things very different compared to last week.”

Midfield Battle Tightens Behind the Leaders

Behind the front-runners, an exceptionally tight contest unfolded among Racing Bulls, Audi, and Alpine. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto delivered a standout showing in front of his home crowd, setting an adjusted race pace deficit of 0.933 seconds per lap relative to Antonelli. Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson was marginally quicker, finishing 0.925 seconds behind the lead Mercedes, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly stayed in close contention at 1.041 seconds adrift.

Further down the running order, larger gaps emerged. Oliver Bearman in the Haas trailed the lead benchmark by 1.618 seconds per lap, followed by Alexander Albon’s Williams at 1.770 seconds off the pace. Cadillac’s Sergio Perez managed an adjusted pace deficit of 1.919 seconds, keeping him ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Williams, rookie Rafael Camara, and Aston Martin. Aston Martin ended Friday at the bottom of the long-run rankings, finishing 2.321 seconds per lap slower than Antonelli due to an ongoing top-speed deficit in Sector 3.

Why This Matters

Tyre management will be the defining strategic factor for the remainder of the Grand Prix weekend. Pirelli has moved one step softer with its allocations, bringing the C3, C4, and C5 compounds. This effectively transforms the compound used as the soft tyre in 2025 into this season’s medium option. With degradation measured at approximately 0.15 seconds per lap during long runs, the high surface demands of Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace strongly point toward a multi-stop race on Sunday.

Mercedes’ ability to stretch a 20-lap stint on the soft tyre without severe degradation suggests they hold a strategic advantage in race management, while Ferrari faces urgent setup changes overnight to avoid sliding into the midfield during qualifying and the Grand Prix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is tyre degradation expected to be so high at the Brazilian Grand Prix?
Pirelli has brought tyre compounds that are one step softer than those used in the previous season, selecting the C3, C4, and C5 compounds. Combined with the abrasive track surface and high energy loads at Interlagos, lap times degraded by roughly 0.15 seconds per lap in FP2, indicating a likely two-stop Grand Prix.

What issues did Ferrari encounter during Friday practice?
Ferrari struggled with two primary problems: unstable car balance through the twisty second sector and inconsistent energy deployment on the straights, leaving Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton over a full second per lap slower than the lead Mercedes in long-run simulations.

How close is the battle among the midfield teams?
The midfield battle is extremely compact. Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson (+0.925s), Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto (+0.933s), and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (+1.041s) were separated by barely a tenth of a second in adjusted long-run pace, setting up an intense contest for points-paying positions.