SAO PAULO — Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton lapped quickest for Mercedes in observe for the Sao Paulo Formulation One Grand Prix on Friday after incurring a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race.
The Briton put in a finest lap of 1 minute 09.050 seconds, with Red Bull’s championship chief Max Verstappen second and 0.367 slower at an overcast Interlagos with occasional drops of rain and loads of empty seats within the stands.
Verstappen leads Hamilton by 19 factors with 4 races remaining together with Brazil.
Hamilton picked up the penalty for an engine change. He complained that the entrance finish of his automobile was “actually poor.”
Purple Bull’s Mexican Sergio Perez was third on the timesheets with Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas fourth within the day’s solely observe session earlier than qualifying for Saturday’s dash race.
The 100km dash gives factors for the highest three in 3-2-1 sequence, and Hamilton’s penalty will solely apply to Sunday’s beginning grid.
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly was fifth quickest forward of the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari reclaimed third place total from McLaren on the earlier race in Mexico and need to prolong their benefit.
McLaren had Lando Norris fifteenth and Australian Daniel Ricciardo nineteenth, however they have been operating a unique program to the others.
