Verstappen pips Antonelli with fastest lap of FP3 at Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished off practice in Brazil with the fastest lap at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. 

Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool

The final hour of practice remained dry at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, commonly known as Interlagos, with the threat of rain lurking off in the distance and it was Verstappen who tallied up the fastest lap. 

The Dutchman pipped Antonelli with a 1m 11.622s lap, 0.025s faster than Antonelli with McLaren’s Lando Norris rounding out the top three. 

When the session got underway, mediums were the preferred tyre for the opening stint of FP3, with everyone booting a set of the yellow-walled Pirellis. 

15 minutes into the session, Lance Stroll soon retired from practice after the Canadian’s car suffered a power unit problem, with the team wearing their electric-resistant gloves to handle the Japanese-powered F1 machine. 

Rafael Camara receives reprimand on Haas debut at Sao Paulo Grand Prix

However, the Aston Martin was not the only retirement from the session. Lewis Hamilton quickly joined that list. The seven-time world champion pulled out onto the track but quickly came into pits with a smoking Ferrari. 

Ahead of practice, it was announced Hamilton is set to take a 10-place grid penalty for taking a new internal combustion engine. 

After the initial performance runs, and qualifying simulations, Verstappen jumped to the top of the timing boards with his fastest lap, with Antonelli and Norris rounding out the top three. 

Cadillac’s Sergio Perez was also placed under investigation, which will take place between FP3 and qualifying, for throwing an object out of his car and onto the track in his best attempt to discard the foreign piece.

Where did everyone finish the final hour of practice? 

1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing – 1m 11.622s
2. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes +0.025s
3. Lando Norris, McLaren +0.131s
4. George Russell, Mercedes +0.184s
5. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +0.274s
6. Oscar Piastri, McLaren +0.313s
7. Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls +0.438s
8. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls +0.549s
9. Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing +0.591s
10. Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi +1.022s
11. Pierre Gasly, Alpine +1.022s
12. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari +1.211s
13. Nico Hulkenberg, Audi +1.243s
14. Franco Colapinto, Alpine +1.303s
15. Rafael Camara, Haas +1.359s
16. Oliver Bearman, Haas +1.487s
17. Alexander Albon, Williams +1.525s
18. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +1.549s
19. Carlos Sainz, Williams +1.681s
20. Sergio Perez, Cadillac +1.951s
21. Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac +2.1s
22. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +3.144s

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.