Carlos Sainz Leads the Pack in Brazilian Grand Prix FP1

Carlos Sainz, the Ferrari sensation, wasted no time making his mark during the first, and only, free practice session of the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend. With blistering pace and precision, Sainz catapulted himself to the top of the timesheets, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying race weekend.

In a display of Scuderia Ferrari’s strength, Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc closely trailed him, securing the second-fastest time. Meanwhile, last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix winner, George Russell, completed the trio of front-runners, clinching the third spot.

Despite ominous weather warnings looming over the circuit, the free practice session managed to remain dry, although the gusty winds kept teams and drivers on their toes. This relatively drama-free start provided valuable track time for all involved, giving them a chance to fine-tune their setups and strategies ahead of the upcoming Qualifying session.

However, the session did witness a peculiar incident around its midpoint. Nico Hulkenberg, on a slow lap, unintentionally occupied the racing line, forcing Lando Norris to take evasive action by going around the Haas driver. As Norris attempted the pass on the outside, Hulkenberg appeared unaware of his presence, leading to contact between the two cars. The incident did not go unnoticed, and race stewards promptly flagged it for investigation. Fortunately, neither driver sustained significant damage, but it added an unexpected twist to the practice session.

Logan Sargeant’s session, on the other hand, took a different turn. Struggling with a problematic suspension setup, he described his car as driving “with three wheels” to his race engineer, highlighting the challenges teams face in adapting to the demanding Interlagos circuit.