2026 São Paulo Grand Prix FP3: Verstappen Tops Session, Red Bull Leads the Way
Max Verstappen clinched pole in FP3 at Interlagos, with Red Bull posting the fastest overall times as the 2026 season kicks off.
The final free‑practice session (FP3) at the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix delivered a clear message ahead of the season‑opening race: Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing remain the benchmark. According to the official Formula 1 recap, Verstappen set the quickest lap of the day – a 1:07.842 on medium tyres – securing provisional pole position with just minutes remaining in the session.
Red Bull’s one‑two dominance was evident throughout the hour‑long session. Sergio Pérez, the Spaniard, was the next fastest, posting a 1:08.113, less than three‑tenths off Verstappen’s time. Their strong performance was underpinned by a clean track after a brief rain‑shower early in the day, which saw the circuit dry quickly thanks to the efficient drainage system at Interlagos.
Mercedes struggled to match the Red Bull pace. Lewis Hamilton’s best lap of 1:09.456 placed him third overall, while teammate George Russell could only manage a best time of 1:09.872, both more than a second off the leading Red Bull times. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were fourth and fifth respectively, with Leclerc clocking a 1:09.102 on soft tyres. The gap highlighted the early-season performance differential between the front‑running teams and the rest of the field.
Other notable performances included McLaren’s Lando Norris, who posted a respectable 1:09.688, and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, who managed a 1:10.021. The session also saw a few minor incidents – a brief spin by Oscar Piastri at Turn 1 and a brief off‑track excursion by Nicholas Latifi – but no significant damage or session stoppages.
For Indian fans: The São Paulo Grand Prix weekend will be broadcast live on FanCode, with the FP3 session scheduled for 13:30 IST on Saturday, 23 March. The race itself will start at 16:00 IST on Sunday, 24 March. Fans can also follow live timing on the official F1 app, which offers a dedicated Indian time‑zone view. With the season opener set to be a high‑speed showdown, Indian viewers should mark their calendars and ensure they have a stable internet connection for the streaming service.
Source: Formula 1