Brazilian GP: Lando Norris fastest in FP1; Colton Herta breakthrough
Lando Norris in action for McLaren at Interlagos
Lando Norris set the FP1 pace, in the upgraded McLaren, at the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix.
The driver to replace him as world champion, Kimi Antonelli, lapped within a tenth of the Brit, while Max Verstappen completed the top three. Meanwhile, Colton Herta, second time lucky, bagged the final point for his FIA Super Licence.
Lando Norris tops Brazilian GP FP1
Brazilian GP FP1 marked Kimi Antonelli’s first session back on the track since the elation of securing his maiden world championship.
He would share the Interlagos circuit with Rafael Camara, making his F1 debut with Haas ahead of schedule on home soil.
There were also some rookie FP1 sessions going on. Colton Herta hoped that this would be the outing which secured his FIA Super Licence, following the confusion in Mexico City.
Charles Leclerc, who became a father between the Mexico and Brazil rounds, sat out FP1 as Dino Beganovic hopped into the Ferrari.
Luke Browning replaced Carlos Sainz at Williams. Gabriele Mini tagged in for Pierre Gasly at Alpine. Leonardo Fornaroli deputised for Oscar Piastri at McLaren. Freddie Slater was back in the Audi, taking over Nico Hulkenberg’s R26.
Beganovic was forced into some major evasive action not long after the light went green. Looking up, Oliver Bearman’s Haas was suddenly right in front of the nose cone. Contact avoided.
The drivers had a dry track to work with out of the blocks. The risk of rain for the session was 20 per cent, the weather notorious for springing surprises at Interlagos.
No surprise then that it was a frantic start to FP1, the medium and hard tyres an early driver favourite.
Herta’s white-walled hards would not have appreciated his heavy lock-up into Turn 1, forcing him over the run-off.
He was not alone. The American caught out again, Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll and Alex Albon were also struggling to get it slowed down.
Spare a thought for Slater. After a heavily disrupted FP1 debut in Mexico, his Audi had now stopped out on track after losing drive through turns 6-8. Red flag.
The session was back to green with 40 minutes still on the clock.
Antonelli wasted no time in setting a new 1:12.789 benchmark, on mediums.
Max Verstappen was the first of the frontrunners to bring the softs out to play, as he brought up the “unacceptable” gear shifts in his Red Bull. Mark that one off your bingo cards for the race weekend.
He still went eight-tenths clear of Antonelli.
George Russell was struggling with “understeer” in his Mercedes.
Antonelli’s first attempt on the softs ended quickly, as he became the latest T1 lock-up victim. Second time lucky, as he went P1.
Albon triggered a brief yellow flag as his Williams lost power steering. He found the escape road out of Juncao to enable a quick recovery job.
That meant no delays for the reigning world champion Lando Norris who popped up to P1, in the upgraded McLaren, with a 1:11.717, eight hundredths ahead of Antonelli.
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Speaking of Antonelli, Arvid Lindblad used the escape road between T7/8 to let the Italian and Verstappen through. He quickly jumped on the radio to stress that “safety reasons” were behind his decision, that a message for the FIA stewards.
There were cars struggling out there. Browning’s session was over. Bearman was called in to pit with an issue on his Haas. Verstappen’s steering was heavier on one side than the other.
Better news over in the Cadillac camp, as Herta secured that Super Licence point which, this time, should take him to the magic 40 mark.
Norris ended FP1 on top ahead of Antonelli and Verstappen.
