Norris fastest in first practice at Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Antonelli was second, 0.082 seconds behind, with Verstappen and Hamilton close behind in a tight field.
Key facts
Story- Lando Norris was fastest in first practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in his upgraded McLaren.
- Norris set a time of 1m11.717s on soft tyres, 0.082 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli.
- Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were two and three tenths behind Norris, so the top four teams are close.
Lando Norris was fastest in first practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Friday, setting the pace in his upgraded McLaren ahead of Kimi Antonelli, the newly crowned Formula 1 world champion.
Norris posted a time of 1m11.717s on soft tyres. He finished 0.082 seconds ahead of Antonelli. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were two and three tenths of a second slower than Norris.
The session showed the four leading teams running very close together. Norris and Antonelli had the two fastest times, but the gap to the other front-runners was small enough that the order could change quickly once qualifying begins.
Close field at the front
The result also showed how tight the competition is at the top of the grid. A gap of less than a tenth of a second separated the first two drivers, and the top four were within about three tenths of one another.
Norris's car carried upgrades, and the early timing sheet suggests they gave him a clear edge in this session. Practice times are only a guide, though, and teams often run different fuel loads and programmes.
The Sao Paulo Grand Prix continues with further practice and qualifying sessions. Results from those sessions will show whether Norris can turn his practice pace into a front-row start.
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