Kevin Magnussen missed the first practice session due to illness, with Oliver Bearman taking over. In the only practice session before sprint qualifying, Red Bull had a poor performance, while McLaren was strong.
But the other drivers in the field also faced a tough challenge, as the Interlagos circuit had been completely renovated. The lap had barely begun when the news broke that Max Verstappen would be officially sanctioned for Sunday's race, losing five places on the grid. In practice, Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes dominated for a good while, then, in the remaining time, the tests on soft tires came, after which Lando Norris finished first, ahead of George Russell and Oliver Bearman.
