Max Verstappen Responds to Kimi Antonelli; Hamilton and Leclerc Penalized 10 Positions

Max Verstappen tries to step up his game and responds to Kimi Antonelli in the third free practice session of the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit. After finishing third in Friday’s FP2 session, behind the new world champion and Lando Norris, the Dutch driver is trying to regain his feel for his Red Bull ahead of qualifying.

The Brazilian weekend, however, looks particularly challenging for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc must each contend with a ten-position grid penalty for replacing engine components beyond the permitted limit. This situation risks jeopardizing the Maranello team’s ambitions, as they already appeared to be struggling with single-lap pace in the early sessions.

In FP2, Antonelli sent an important signal, clocking a time of 1’10″763 and beating Norris by 253 thousandths of a second. Verstappen finished third, just six thousandths behind the Brit, while George Russell and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five. Further back were the Ferraris, with Hamilton sixth and Leclerc seventh.

However, Verstappen also faces a delicate technical situation. Red Bull has decided to replace several components of the power unit, including the internal combustion engine, turbocharger, exhaust, and MGU-K. The Dutch driver will therefore be forced to start from the back of the grid in Sunday’s Grand Prix, making the qualifying result less decisive.