Kevin Magnussen missed the first practice session due to illness, and Oliver Bearman took his place. The Red Bull struggled during the only practice session before the sprint qualifying, while McLaren was strong.
However, the other drivers in the field also faced a strong challenge as the Interlagos circuit has been significantly revamped. Just as the laps were about to begin, news broke that Max Verstappen would officially face a penalty in the Sunday race, with a five-place grid drop awaiting the Dutchman. During the practice itself, Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes dominated for a long time, and then in the remaining time, soft tire attempts came in, with Lando Norris finishing first at the last moment ahead of George Russell and Oliver Bearman.
