Lando Norris goes fastest in FP1 as last minute rookie Oliver Bearman shocks with his pace at Sao Paulo - Results

In a single action-packed practice session on the newly resurfaced Interlagos circuit, Lando Norris set the fastest lap for McLaren in FP1 ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. McLaren’s promising pace marked a British sweep at the top, with Mercedes’ George Russell coming in second. However, it was rookie Oliver Bearman, standing in for the ailing Kevin Magnussen at Haas, who stole the show with a surprise third-place finish.

With only 60 minutes of practice on a sprint weekend, teams and drivers had limited time to acclimatize to the refreshed surface at Interlagos. This added a level of unpredictability to the session, making Bearman’s feat all the more impressive as he pushed his Haas to unexpected heights, trailing Norris by just under two-tenths.

Oliver Bearman, who had previously demonstrated his potential in the junior categories, grabbed the opportunity with confidence, clocking a 1:10.805, only marginally behind Russell’s 1:10.791. His performance sent a strong message, showcasing his readiness to compete on the big stage. Bearman’s third-place finish capped a highly competitive top three, creating excitement ahead of sprint qualifying.

Verstappen and Hamilton are out of the top 15! 

Meanwhile, Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen had an uncharacteristically subdued session, ending in a surprising 15th position. While Verstappen aborted his final attempt on the soft tyres in the last sector, his times through the first two sectors indicated he wouldn’t have matched the frontrunners regardless.

McLaren’s strong showing continued with Oscar Piastri taking fourth, while Williams' Alexander Albon clinched fifth, underscoring the intense competition outside the dominant Red Bull. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz landed sixth and seventh respectively, showing steady, if not spectacular, form.

FP1 Results - Sao Paulo Grand Prix