The Brazil Grand Prix of Formula 1 has experienced an intense Friday in Sao Paulo, with Kimi Antonelli demonstrating his dominance. The newly crowned world champion achieved the best time in the second free practice session and stood out in race simulations, while Ferrari suffered a problematic day.
In the qualifying simulations, Antonelli clocked a time 0.253 seconds faster than Lando Norris (McLaren) and 0.259 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen (Red Bull). However, the race simulations at the end of the session provided a more revealing insight into the prospects for Sunday’s race.
Race simulations and tire wear
It is important to consider the differences in the lengths of the simulations and the tire compounds. Tire wear is especially high in Brazil, and a variation of a few laps can significantly affect the average lap times. Once the figures were adjusted, Antonelli proved to be the fastest driver over long distances.
The Mercedes driver completed an impressive simulation of 20 laps on soft tires. His teammate, George Russell, was the second fastest, but his adjusted average time was 0.311 seconds slower. Verstappen followed in third position, with a difference of 0.474 seconds per lap.
Assessments from Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes
Antonelli was satisfied with the day, acknowledging that there is still room for improvement in the race simulations. ‘It wasn’t bad,’ he stated. ‘I felt good with the car on a single lap, but more work is needed on long distances. Overall, I feel good and look forward to tomorrow.’
The deputy director of Mercedes, Bradley Lord, agreed with this positive assessment, although he noted that both drivers are still struggling with an understeer issue. However, he is confident that Mercedes’ long-term pace is comparable to that of Norris and Verstappen, placing Ferrari one step behind the leading group.
Ferrari, far from the competition
The biggest surprise of Friday was Ferrari’s disappointing performance. Lewis Hamilton was 0.45 seconds off the pace in the qualifying simulations. Additionally, his adjusted average over long distances was 1.072 seconds per lap slower than Antonelli, with Hamilton losing 1.090 seconds. This indicates that Ferrari is no longer competing with those ahead and has positioned itself in the midfield battle.
What has been revealed in the sector analysis is that while Ferrari maintains a good pace in the first sector, it loses significantly in the second, which is characterized by corners. In the third sector, the Scuderia is matched by the pace of the Aston Martins. The team director, Frederic Vasseur, admitted that they are struggling with the car’s balance and energy management.
The battle between Racing Bulls, Audi, and Alpine
In the midfield group, an interesting battle is forming between Racing Bulls, Audi, and Alpine, with all three teams very close. Gabriel Bortoleto was the fastest outside the leading group, with an average difference of 0.933 seconds per lap with Antonelli while competing in front of his home crowd. Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly also kept their teams in the fight with minimal differences.
Predictions for Sunday
Tires present a decisive factor for the race. Pirelli has selected softer compounds compared to last year, and tire degradation has proven significant during the simulations, averaging 0.15 seconds per lap. This is important at Interlagos, a circuit where tire demands have historically marked the Brazil GP as a two-stop race.
With Friday’s session closed, expectations for the weekend remain high, with the prospect of an interesting spectacle on the track.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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