Key Highlights
- Lando Norris pips Oscar Piastri to set the fastest time in Practice One at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
- Yuki Tsunoda crashes during practice, while Lewis Hamilton spins off track.
- Max Verstappen does not use medium tyres and finishes 17th in Practice One.
- Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finish towards the bottom of the timesheet on hard tyres.
Practice One: McLaren Dominates with Norris Pipping Piastri
On Friday, November 7, 2025, at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Practice One saw McLaren’s Lando Norris take the fastest lap of the session, edging out his teammate Oscar Piastri by just 0.023 seconds. This was a significant achievement for Norris, as he has been consistently finishing ahead of Piastri in every session since the Singapore GP qualifying three races ago.
“Oscar Piastri has unquestionably gathered himself together,” said Martin Brundle from Sky Sports F1. “He looked like he’s back on his old form and settled into the track.”
While Norris led the way, Yuki Tsunoda experienced a setback when he crashed early in practice, damaging both his front and rear wings. The Red Bull driver missed 25 minutes of action while repairs were made to his car.
Challenging Times for Verstappen and Ferrari
Notably, Max Verstappen did not use the medium tyres during Practice One and finished in 17th place. This was a notable underperformance compared to his usual form. The Dutch driver’s teammate Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari also struggled on hard tyres, finishing towards the bottom of the timesheet.
“Verstappen twice ran off track at the same corner with the RB21’s handling seemingly not yet to his liking,” noted the report.
Lewis Hamilton had a particularly challenging session, spinning off track coming out of Turn 11. Despite the difficulties, Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto emerged as surprise performers, securing third and fifth positions respectively.
The Road to Qualifying
With the first Sprint Qualifying scheduled for Friday evening at 6:30 PM and the main qualifying session on Saturday at 2 PM, both teams will be closely monitoring their strategies. The Sao Paulo Grand Prix continues to be a critical stage in the ongoing F1 championship race.
“The first practice session at Interlagos sets the tone for what is expected during the crucial qualifying sessions,” commented one industry expert.
As the title battle heats up, fans can look forward to intense competition and strategic decisions from teams. The next few days will be pivotal in shaping the outcome of the season.
Schedule for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix (2025)
| Date | Event | Time (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 7 | Sprint Qualifying | 6:30 PM |
| Sat, Nov 8 | Qualifying | 2:00 PM |
| Sun, Nov 9 | Grand Prix Race | 5:00 PM |
This weekend’s events will not only determine the starting positions for the next race but also provide crucial insights into the performance and strategy of each team. Stay tuned as the championship battle unfolds in Brazil.
