Max Verstappen tops Sao Paulo FP3 as grid penalties loom

Max Verstappen laid down the benchmark in Free Practice 3 ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, posting a 1m 11.622s to lead the field at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace. The Red Bull driver pipped Kimi Antonelli by just 0.025s, though the Dutchman faces a grid penalty for Sunday's race after taking several power unit changes. Lando Norris slotted in right behind them as the track witnessed a frantic dash for soft tyre runs before heavy rain arrived at the chequered flag.

Weather threats hung heavy over the circuit as the session got underway at 1130 local time on Saturday, keeping the pit lane quiet initially. Nico Hulkenberg was among the first out for Audi, desperately needing mileage after missing Friday running when rookie Freddie Slater suffered an early mechanical failure in FP1. George Russell also ventured out early, carrying a five-place grid penalty of his own due to an Internal Combustion Engine change.

Despite reporting a steering wheel problem, newly crowned World Champion Antonelli wasted no time stamping his authority, setting a 1m 12.497s on Pirelli's medium tyre at the 10-minute mark. Lance Stroll endured another miserable afternoon, told to pit immediately as an Energy Recovery System issue ended the Aston Martin driver's session after just 15 minutes. Antonelli then lowered the pace to 1m 12.214s, momentarily out-muscling Verstappen before the Red Bull driver slid wide at Turn 4 on his counter-attack.

Trouble struck Ferrari early as Lewis Hamilton reported strange engine vibrations and smoke in the cockpit alongside a sub-optimal engine noise, forcing the seven-time World Champion to park his car with 25 minutes still on the clock. Hamilton, teammate Charles Leclerc, and Verstappen are all staring down severe grid drops in Brazil, with Leclerc and Hamilton both handed 10-place penalties for ICE changes.

Qualifying simulations finally sparked into life with 15 minutes left on the clock as the soft tyres bolted on. Russell dipped below the 1m 12s barrier first, but Norris, Antonelli, and Verstappen quickly reshuffled the order, leaving the top four covered by less than two tenths. Second-lap improvement attempts went nowhere across the board, sealing Verstappen's position at the top from Antonelli, Norris, and Russell just as the heavens opened.

Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri for McLaren, the Racing Bulls pairing of Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson, Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, and Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the top 10. Pierre Gasly placed 11th for Alpine ahead of Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto, and Haas drivers Rafael Camara and Ollie Bearman. The remaining order featured Alex Albon, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, Sergio Perez—who faced a post-session investigation for discarding an item from his cockpit—Valtteri Bottas, and the sidelined Stroll. Meanwhile, venue officials confirmed the circuit will remain on the Formula 1 calendar through 2035.