F1 Sao Paulo GP: Carlos Sainz leads Ferrari 1-2 in sole practice as Lando Norris and Nico Hulkenberg collide
Ferrari left it late to put their drivers on the soft tyre for a qualifying simulation run, with Sainz edging out teammate Leclerc by just 0.108s to set the pa☂ce in a vital hour of practice.
Mercedes driver Russell, who claimed his maiden grand prix victory in Brazil last year, was t🔯hird-fastest on medium tyres, just 0.133s off the pace.
Hulkenberg, running ꦇthe soft tyre, took fourth after surviving a bizarre collision with McLaren’s Norris mid-way through the session.
No🅺rris was on a quick lap when he caught the Haas driver dawdling on the racing line at the entry to Juncao. The Briton went up the inside and the pair banged wheels, but both were able to continue.
The incident is being invꦅestigated&nbs🤡p;by the Sao Paulo stewards.
Alex Albon also used softs to finish fifth for Williams, ahead of As🧜ton Martin’s Lance Stroll ꦰand Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Zhou Gua🍨nyu, Logan Sargeant and Kevin Magnussen completed the top-10 for Alfa Romeo, Williams and Haas respectively.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was 12th while the Red Bull pair of Max Vers꧋tappen and Sergio Perez finished an unusu☂ally-low 16th and 18th in the order as both teams opted against running the soft tyre.
Norris and Oscar Piastri teased the potential pace in thei🦋r McLaren car but did not complete their soft tyre laps as they ended up bottom of the timesheets in 19th anꦦd 20th.
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