F1 São Paulo GP 2026: Start Times for Practice, Qualifying, Sprint and Race
Formula 1 will stage the São Paulo Grand Prix at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil this weekend, concluding the Americas triple-header. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli clinched his maiden World title in Mexico City last weekend, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record and becoming the youngest ever World Champion, and Mercedes can secure the 2026 Constructors’ title if they outscore Ferrari by three points or more on Sunday, which would be their first since 2021.
The São Paulo Grand Prix weekend uses the Sprint format and opens with a single practice session before Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint race, followed by the conventional qualifying session and the main Grand Prix on Sunday. The third practice session will take place on Saturday alongside the qualifying round, with the race grid for Sunday determined by the qualifying results. Ferrari’s on-track drama from last week between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc is expected to remain a prominent storyline through the weekend.
Weather forecasts for Interlagos contrast with Mexico City’s warm, clear conditions, calling for highly volatile subtropical shifts and a high probability of rain driven by a sudden, sharp cold front. Organisers expect cool and potentially wet conditions on Sunday, with temperatures forecast between 13°C and 19°C. There is a 40%–50% chance of active rain at the 2:00 PM BRT race start.
Although Antonelli has secured the Drivers’ Championship, the Constructors’ battle is unresolved and so are positions further down the Drivers’ standings; a 40-point gap between second and sixth place means the fight for remaining places is far from settled. That points spread makes every position on the track important as teams and drivers seek to improve final standings in the closing rounds of the season.
Interlagos has a strong winners’ list: Alain Prost leads with six Brazilian Grand Prix victories, Michael Schumacher has four, and Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel each have three wins at the circuit. The 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix was won by McLaren’s Lando Norris, with Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen completing that podium.
Fans in India can watch the race on FanCode or use the official F1 TV streaming service, which is available in India. For further updates, Khel Now advises following its channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube, downloading the Khel Now Android App or IOS App, and joining its communities on Whatsapp & Telegram.
The main race will start on Sunday at 2:00 PM BRT, and Sunday’s points distribution will determine whether Mercedes can clinch the 2026 Constructors’ Championship by outscoring Ferrari by the required margin.