Mercedes claims second and fourth at São Paulo qualifying prep
Kimi Antonelli secured second place in Friday practice while George Russell finished fourth as the Mercedes AMG Petronas team fine tunes its setup ahead of Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying.
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Friday’s opening practice session at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo saw the Mercedes AMG Petronas team position itself prominently on the timesheets, with Kimi Antonelli securing second place and George Russell fourth as both drivers gathered crucial data ahead of qualifying.
The session proved instrumental in refining the W15’s setup across the demanding Brazilian circuit, where conditions can shift markedly between practice and competition. Antonelli’s P2 finish signals the kind of incremental progress the young driver has demonstrated throughout the season, while Russell’s fourth place position reflects the consistent competitiveness the team continues to extract from its machinery around Interlagos.
With qualifying to follow, the Mercedes engineers will analyse the telemetry and track evolution data gathered during the hour long session, examining how the car’s behaviour changes as temperatures rise and fuel loads diminish. The proximity of both entries to the front of the field underscores the calibre of preparation that has defined this championship campaign, as the team pursues every fraction of a second that might prove decisive when Saturday’s grid positions are determined.
Imagery courtesy of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team (@mercedesamgf1).
