2024 F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix: Friday practice and sprint qualifying LIVE

We are off for a quick breather and coffee in between sessions but we will be back here to build up to Sprint Qualifying from 18:00 GMT. 

The shorter qualifying for the sprint race starts at 18:30 GMT. 

Lando Norris topped the timesheets in practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, 0.181s ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell.

Norris left it late to storm to the top of the timesheets with a 1m10.610s.

The McLaren driver will be keen to capitalise on Max Verstappen’s engine penalty this weekend, with the Dutchman hit with a five-place grid drop for a new ICE.

Russell was the first driver out there to go on the softs - and he ended up as Norris’ nearest challenger.

Both Russell and Lewis Hamilton complained about the bumpy nature of the Interlagos circuit, even though it’s been resurfaced.

Oliver Bearman was the star of the session, setting the third-fastest time for Haas.

You can read our full report here. 

1. Norris 
2. Russell 
3. Bearman 
4. Piastri 
5. Albon 
6. Leclerc 
7. Sainz 
8. Hulkenberg 
9. Alonso 
10. Gasly 

• 2024 F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix - Friday Practice Results

  

There was an interesting radio message from Hamilton near the end of FP1, with the seven-time world champion asking his race engineer Peter 'Bono' Bonnington how long was left because he was in "a bit of pain". 

Teammate Russell then reported: "That was one bumpy ride. Wow."

It sounds like the bumps are playing havoc at Interlagos. 

Norris leaves it right until the end of FP1 to go fastest with a 1:10.610s. 

That puts the McLaren driver and title hopeful 0.181s quicker than Russell's Mercedes as the chequered flag falls to conclude the session. 

Bearman goes second-fastest on soft tyres to put his Haas just 0.014s behind Russell's Mercedes. 

Norris slots his McLaren into third, ahead of Albon, Sainz, Alonso, Leclerc, Lawson, Piastri and Gasly, who completes the top 10. 

Russell has strapped a pair of softs onto his Mercedes and goes clear by some margin at the top. 

As the first of the frontrunners to put the soft tyres on, he sets a 1:10.791s to go fastest by nearly a second over Red Bull's Verstappen. 

Hamilton has just improved to slot his Mercedes into P2, just 0.042s off Verstappen's benchmark and 0.052s ahead of teammate Russell. 

All three are on medium tyres for the time being, but the field should soon be switching onto soft compounds for some qualifying simulation runs. 

News in from the FIA and Verstappen's engine penalty has been officially confirmed. 

F1's governing body's power unit document has landed and reveals Verstappen is using a new internal combustion engine. That is his sixth of the season and means he will serve a five-place grid drop at Interlagos this weekend. 

Verstappen goes quickest of all with a 1:11.712s on medium tyres. He's just 0.092s faster than Russell and three-tenths faster than Red Bull teammate Perez. 

The reigning world champion is set to use a new internal combustion engine this weekend. That would trigger a five-place grid drop due to him already using his permitted allocation of engines this year. 

Verstappen was asked about a potential power unit change ahead of the weekend and said: "I haven't heard anything yet. I know I will have to take one at some point, so we'll see."

Earlier this week, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko appeared to confirm Verstappen would be taking a grid penalty in Brazil. 

Perez - who is running a new chassis - sets the early pace for Red Bull. 

He's a couple of tenths up on Mercedes' Russell after 10 minutes.

FP1 - and the only practice session of the Brazil weekend - is go!

Aston Martin have confirmed Fernando Alonso is back in the Brazil paddock and fit to drive today. 

The Spaniard was absent from Thursday's media day after his travel plans were delayed after receiving treatment in Europe for an "intestinal infection" he suffered with in the lead up to last weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix. 

Kevin Magnussen has been ruled out of Friday’s running at the F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix due to sickness.

Ollie Bearman has got the short-notice call-up to replace him in the Haas in Brazil.

There is not yet any confirmation of whether Magnussen will be able to return on Saturday.

The Sao Paulo Grand Prix is a sprint weekend meaning Bearman's duties on Friday will not follow the traditional routine.

He will first drive in a practice session, then in sprint qualifying. And because of his involvement in sprint qualifying, Bearman will drive for Haas in Saturday's sprint race too.

Hello and welcome to Crash.net's live coverage of the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. 

Friday's action kicks off with an hour of practice at 14:30 GMT, before sprint qualifying takes place at 18:30.