Kevin Magnussen missed the first practice session because he was unwell, and was replaced by Oliver Bearman. In the only practice session before the sprint qualifying, Red Bull performed poorly, while McLaren were strong.
However, the remaining competitors were also facing a strong challenge as the Interlagos circuit was undergoing a major facelift. The laps had barely begun when the news came that Max Verstappen would officially receive a penalty for Sunday's race, facing a five-place grid penalty. The practice session itself saw a long period dominated by Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes, before the remaining time saw soft-tyre testing, with Lando Norris taking pole position at the last minute ahead of George Russell and Oliver Bearman.
