The second free practice session for the 2026 Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix is scheduled to begin at 20:00 Italian time and conclude at 21:00, with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc preparing for an important hour of running at Interlagos. After an opening session focused largely on car set-up, FP2 is expected to provide a clearer indication of qualifying performance and race pace ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Teams are now expected to turn their attention towards more representative performance runs, including qualifying simulations on soft tyres and longer stints with higher fuel loads. These programmes should offer valuable information about how the cars behave over both a single flying lap and a sustained run, although differences in fuel loads and individual run plans will still make direct comparisons difficult.
2026 Brazilian GP FP2 live: Ferrari prepares qualifying and race simulations
Following the first practice session at Interlagos, Formula 1 returns to the circuit for another hour of running as teams continue their preparations for the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.
While FP1 traditionally gives drivers and engineers an opportunity to establish a baseline set-up and assess the behaviour of their cars, the second session generally places greater emphasis on performance ahead of qualifying and the race.
Drivers are therefore expected to complete faster laps on the soft compound as part of their qualifying simulations, before switching their attention to longer runs with heavier fuel loads.
These high-fuel stints should provide further indications of tyre behaviour, consistency and potential race performance ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix. Additional comparisons can be explored through the F1 practice and long-run analysis, which examines observed lap times and stint performance across practice sessions.
Brazilian GP FP1 results: Lando Norris leads Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen
Lando Norris set the fastest time in the opening practice session, narrowly finishing ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who succeeded the McLaren driver as Formula 1 world champion.
Max Verstappen recorded the third-fastest lap, followed by Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in fourth position.
However, the first session also featured several young drivers making appearances for their respective teams, adding another variable to the interpretation of the results. Gabriele Minì delivered an impressive performance for Alpine, finishing seventh overall. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc watched from the Ferrari garage as Dino Beganovic took his place, while Oscar Piastri remained on the sidelines as Leonardo Fornaroli drove the McLaren and finished 11th.
Dino Beganovic’s session was affected by technical problems, preventing the young Ferrari driver from completing his planned programme.
Ferrari seeks clearer answers as Charles Leclerc returns for FP2
The opening classification should not yet be treated as a definitive reflection of the competitive order at Interlagos. With teams running different programmes and several regular drivers absent from FP1, the true performance differences remain difficult to establish.
Ferrari will now have another opportunity to assess its competitiveness with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, as the focus shifts towards more representative qualifying simulations and race preparation. The second session should offer a clearer picture of how the SF-26 compares with its Formula 1 rivals, although the overall balance of performance will continue to develop as the weekend progresses.
Brazilian Grand Prix FP2 runs from 20:00 to 21:00 Italian time. The full timetable for the remaining sessions, qualifying and Sunday’s race is available in the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix schedule.
Live minute-by-minute coverage and discussion of the session are available on ScuderiaFans.com
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