Verstappen Edges Out Antonelli in Competitive Interlagos Practice
Max Verstappen set the pace during Free Practice 3 at Formula 1’s Brazilian Grand Prix, narrowly topping the timesheets ahead of Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli. With rain threatening the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, teams and drivers immediately flooded the circuit to maximize dry running. The urgency was particularly high for Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg, who was turning his first laps of the race weekend after an FP1 mechanical failure under rookie Freddie Slater ruled the German driver out of the entire second practice session.
The initial 40 minutes of the session saw the field concentrate on race preparation and medium-compound tire running. Antonelli established an early benchmark with a lap time of 1m12.209s, edging Verstappen by 0.075s. The pace came despite minor setbacks for both frontrunners; the new world champion reported a steering wheel issue, while the four-time title holder noted his car’s steering felt heavy to the right
. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc followed in third place, 0.230s off Antonelli’s pace, while George Russell, Liam Lawson, and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri ran about half a second back from the top spot. Lawson highlighted his early pace by logging the quickest time in sector three, gapping Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad by roughly 0.5s and outpacing the broader midfield contingent by nearly a full second.
Soft-Tire Qualifying Simulations and Powertrain Troubles
When the grid transitioned to soft tires for qualifying simulations, Verstappen posted a 1m11.622s to claim the top spot, narrowly eclipsing Antonelli’s 1m11.647s flyer by a mere 0.025s. McLaren’s Lando Norris improved to take third with a lap 0.131s off Verstappen, followed closely by Russell and Leclerc. The tight spread left the top four constructors bracketed by only 0.274s heading into qualifying.
Behind the leading group, the Racing Bulls pairing showed formidable speed. Lindblad reversed the earlier medium-tire intra-team deficit, finishing one tenth clear of Lawson. Both drivers retained a half-second advantage over Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar finished behind both Racing Bulls cars with a 0.591s deficit to Verstappen, having earlier voiced frustration over an RB22 setup that he described as close to undriveable
. Elsewhere down the order, debutant Rafael Camara secured 15th position, outpacing teammate Oliver Bearman by 0.128s, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was left at the bottom of the timesheets following an early suspected ERS failure that sidelined him after just 15 minutes.
Cockpit Drama Sidelined Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton experienced a frustrating session aboard his Ferrari, finishing in 12th place after being unable to conduct any soft-tire simulations. Hamilton initially reported handling and powertrain irregularities from inside the car, noting strange vibrations
from his newly fitted powertrain alongside big engine braking
. The situation deteriorated later in the session when an alarming sound culminated in smoke in the cockpit
, forcing the team to keep the car garage-bound for the remainder of FP3 to diagnose the mechanical damage.
Why This Matters
The razor-thin margin of 0.274 seconds separating Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari points toward an intensely contested qualifying battle at Interlagos. However, Hamilton’s powertrain issues pose a significant reliability headache for Ferrari, threatening potential grid penalties or compromised setup direction if components require replacement before qualifying. In the midfield, the impressive pace from Racing Bulls signals a strong opportunity for Lindblad and Lawson to challenge for top-10 grid positions, while Audi and Aston Martin face uphill battles following interrupted running for Hulkenberg and Stroll.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who set the fastest lap time in FP3 at the Brazilian Grand Prix?
Max Verstappen finished fastest in Free Practice 3, recording a lap time of 1m11.622s to narrowly beat Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli by 0.025 seconds.
What problem caused Lewis Hamilton to stop running in FP3?
Lewis Hamilton encountered powertrain complications characterized by severe engine braking and vibrations, which ultimately produced an unusual noise and smoke inside the cockpit, preventing him from completing a low-fuel qualifying run on soft tires.
Why did Lance Stroll fail to set a representative lap time?
Lance Stroll suffered a suspected ERS (Energy Recovery System) issue just 15 minutes into the practice session, which proved terminal and confined his Aston Martin to the garage for the remainder of FP3.
