Kevin Magnussen missed the first practice session due to nausea, replaced by Oliver Bearman. In the only practice session before the sprint qualifying race, Red Bull did not show much, while McLaren was strong.
But the other drivers in the field also faced a tough challenge as the Interlagos circuit was thoroughly resurfaced. As soon as the laps began, the news came that Max Verstappen would be officially penalised for Sunday's race, taking him five places back on the grid. During practice itself, Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes dominated for a long time, then came the tests on soft tyres, during which Lando Norris finished first at the last minute ahead of George Russell and Oliver Bearman.
