F1 Brasile, Antonelli domina il venerdì di Interlagos dopo il titolo mondiale

Kimi Antonelli gets back underway at Interlagos without slowing down. After the world title won in Mexico, the Mercedes driver ends Friday at the Brazilian GP ahead of everyone in free practice 2 and confirms the feeling that he is the benchmark of the day. Behind him are Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, 253 and 259 thousandths behind respectively.

The day also tells of a Friday split between McLaren and Mercedes. Norris had opened the weekend with the fastest time in FP1, then Antonelli took the lead in the second session and also finished on top in the long run phase. Formula1.com reports that the Bolognese driver ended the session ahead of Norris, Verstappen and George Russell, with Oscar Piastri a little further back. According to Motorsport.com Italia, Antonelli impressed both on the single lap and in the race simulations.

Sul fronte del passo gara, il quadro resta favorevole alla Mercedes. FormulaPassion sottolinea che Antonelli fa la differenza nel secondo settore di Interlagos, quello più pesante nella gestione gomme, mentre la vettura mostra buone qualità nei tratti guidati e nella trazione in uscita dalle curve in salita. Il primo settore resta invece il punto meno pulito del suo venerdì, ma il bilancio complessivo resta solido. Antonelli ha commentato: «Non è andata male», ha detto a Motorsport.com Italia.

There is no shortage of difficulties for Ferrari. According to reconstructions from the paddock, Ferrari had a more complicated Friday than in recent outings, while Leclerc brushed the wall on the main straight after having to avoid Rafael Câmara. AS says Interlagos places a lot of demands on the power units and also reports track conditions made more treacherous by wind and clouds, with rain remaining in the background for the weekend.

Interlagos

The São Paulo circuit continues to reward those who can combine speed and consistency. FormulaPassion describes the second sector as the most important part of the lap, while AS recalls that the track is short and that Friday's benchmark settled at around 1:10. In this context, Mercedes showed a W17 capable of working well both on the single lap and in the longer phases of the session.

For Antonelli, meanwhile, the weekend already has a special significance. Motorsport.com Italia reports on Tuesday's visit to the Senna family, a stop that makes racing at Interlagos, on his idol's track, even more meaningful. Friday thus leaves the world champion at the head of the scene, with McLaren ready to respond and Ferrari called upon to chase a better balance.