Sainz led the free for Brazil; Alonso was eleventh and 'Checo' was 18th, both with hard

Sports editorial, Nov 3 (EFE).- The Spanish Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), was the fastest this Friday in the first and only free practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix (Brazil), the twentieth and penultimate of the Formula World Championship One, which is held on the Interlagos circuit; where his compatriot, the Asturian double world champion Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) set the eleventh time; and the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull), the eighteenth.

In the best of his 30 laps, the talented Madrid driver - the only non-Red Bull to have won a race this year (in Singapore) - covered the 4,309 meters of the São Paulo track in one minute, eleven seconds and 732 thousandths, 108 less than his teammate, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc - who did two more laps than him and also set his time with the soft tire - and with 133 over the Englishman George Russell (Mercedes), who completed his best attempt with the medium compound.

Alonso, who returns to the track where he mathematically certified the achievement of his two titles (2005 and 2006) was the best of those who set their time with the hard tire, in the sixth and last weekend of the year that is being held. with sprint format. Fernando did 28 laps in a session that ended with 31 degrees ambient and 44 on the track and in which he was 883 thousandths behind Sainz.

The Asturian genius - with seven podiums this season, in a second youth at the age of 42 - suffered a puncture and mounted a second set of hard tires, without testing another type of compound, since his teammate, the Canadian Lance Stroll -sixth, four tenths behind Sainz-, the media did roll. In a session - the only one of the weekend - in which everything possible had to be tried; saving, at the same time, the greatest number of tires.

The Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), who almost a month ago mathematically proclaimed himself (for the third year in a row) world champion, marked the sixteenth time of training, also with the hard one. The same compound used by his teammate, 'Checo', second in the World Championship and who repeated the São Paulo track 31 times; in which there will continue to be F1 until 2030 - as announced this Friday - and in which the brave driver from Guadalajara was one second and 324 thousandths behind Sainz's time.

Qualifying for Sunday's race - scheduled for 71 laps, to complete a 305.8 kilometer route - will take place starting at three in the afternoon (seven in Central European time: 6:00 p.m. GMT).

- Table of free practice times for the Sao Paulo GP:

.1.

Carlos Sainz

ESP

Ferrari

1:11,732

.2.

Charles Leclerc

MON

Ferrari

at 0.108

.3.

George Russell

GBR

Mercedes

0.133

.4.

Nico Hulkenberg

GER

haas

0.196

.5.

Alexander Albon

THA

Williams

0.312

.6.

Lance Stroll

DOG

Aston Martin

0.404

.7.

Pierre Gasly

FRA

Alpine

0.452

.8.

Zhou Guanyu

CHN

Alfa Romeo

0.749

.9.

Logan Sargeant

USES

Williams

0.847

10.

Kevin Magnussen

DEN

haas

0.860

eleven.

Fernando Alonso

ESP

Aston Martin

0.883

12.

Lewis Hamilton

GBR

Mercedes

0.906

13.

Yuki Tsunoda

JPN

Alpha Tauri

0.982

14.

Daniel Ricciardo

AUS

Alpha Tauri

1,046

fifteen.

Esteban Ocon

FRA

Alpine

1,047

16.

Max Verstappen

N.E.D.

Red Bull

1,061

17.

Valtteri Bottas

END

Alfa Romeo

1,280

18.

Sergio Perez

MEX

Red Bull

1,324

19.

Lando Norris

GBR

McLaren

1,897

twenty.

Oscar Piastri

AUS

McLaren

2,106