Sainz tops sole Sao Paulo practice as Norris and 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 pace in a vital hour of practice.
Mercedes driver Russell, who claimed his maiden grand prix victory in Brazil last year, was third-fastest on medium tyres, just 0.133s off the pace.
Hulkenberg, running the soft tyre, took fourth after surviving a bizarre collision with McLaren’s Norris mid-way through the session.
Norris 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 investigated by the Sao Paulo stewards.
Alex Albon also used softs to finish fifth for Williams, ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Zhou Guanyu, 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 Verstappen and Sergio Perez finished an unusually-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 their McLaren car but did not complete their soft tyre laps as they ended up bottom of the timesheets in 19th and 20th.
