The 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix weekend at Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos) kicked off with a strong statement in Free Practice 1. With the championship fight heating up and every lap carrying increasing significance, FP1 offered a first glimpse of pace, potential and the setup trends that could matter across the sprint weekend and the main race. The session revealed promising form for some, early troubles for others, and set the tone for what could come.
FP1 Recap
In the only practice session ahead of the sprint format weekend, Lando Norris set the fastest time with a 1:09.975 on his final flying lap. He edged ahead of his team-mate Oscar Piastri by just 0.023 seconds. Piastri too showed strong pace, signalling that McLaren could be very competitive this weekend.
In third place, Nico Hülkenberg recorded a time around six-tenths slower than the leading McLarens, putting him as the best of the rest in this session.
Further down the timesheet we saw some surprises, the bottom four was made up of Red Bull and Ferrari (Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Yuki Tsunoda in that order 17-20th).
Verstappen found himself in 17th place after a slow middle sector on soft tyres. He backed off his lap and didn’t complete a push lap on the soft tyre. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda clipped the wall and suffered front wing damage during the session. The incident added an early concern for his weekend setup and potential race rhythm.
Both Ferrari cars didn’t do a single lap on the soft tyre, using the medium and hard compounds throughout the session.
Another driver who looked in good shape was Fernando Alonso who placed fourth, and rising rookie Gabriel Bortoleto cracked the top five in a strong display.
What FP1 suggests: McLaren are clearly in a strong place. Their pace advantage is visible and their drivers have momentum. The rest of the field will need to find better rhythm, especially Verstappen’s Red Bull, if they are to challenge. With the sprint format reducing margin for error, setup and early performance are critical.
Prediction for Spring Qualifying Top 3 and Who Will Be in the Mix
Predicted Top 3
1st – Lando Norris – Given his FP1 pace, championship lead and confidence, he looks well placed to take the win.
2nd – Oscar Piastri – His matching McLaren pace means he is a strong candidate for second, or challenging for first.
3rd – Max Verstappen – Despite an unusual 17th place in FP1 we expect him to find pace on the soft tyre in sprint qualifying later today.
Other Drivers to Watch
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Fernando Alonso – A strong showing in FP1 and a veteran of the track, we should see him in the top 10 this evening.
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Nico Hülkenberg – As the best of the rest in FP1, he could surprise if setup holds up and track conditions favour him.
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Gabriel Bortoleto – The rookie is on form and could fight inside the top-five; a strong weekend could see him vie for a podium.
- Ferrari and Mercedes – Ferrari not running soft tyres in FP1 means their pace is relativley unkown whilst Mercedes need to find more pace to challange for the top 3 places.
Final Thoughts
FP1 at the Brazil GP gave us more than just times; it showed real momentum and form. McLaren have sent a clear message with Norris and Piastri leading. The rest of the field will now chase. With the sprint format and the championship fight tight, every session becomes decisive. Setup, tyre choice, track evolution and even weather may play big roles. If Norris converts his FP1 advantage into qualifying and race pace, he could strengthen his title bid significantly. For the others it is a signal to fight back now or risk the gap opening further.
Expect drama, expect chaos, and expect the top of the grid to matter more than ever.
