The midfield teams began Friday in Brazil from different positions. Feedback collected by Formula1.com showed Audi needing to recover lost running on one car, Alpine seeking a better setup and Aston Martin giving a more positive reliability assessment than in Mexico.
Nico Hulkenberg completed no laps. He said the problem encountered by Freddie Slater in FP1 was identified, but repairs were not finished in time for his FP2 running. Gabriel Bortoleto, meanwhile, was eighth in both sessions and said he completed the day’s tasks. Audi must therefore use information from one car to help the other side catch up.
At Alpine, Gabriele Mini replaced Pierre Gasly in FP1 and finished seventh. On returning in FP2, Gasly said his Soft-tyre running was untidy: he locked up on the first push lap and had to abandon another attempt, so the classification did not reflect his feeling in the car. Franco Colapinto also saw room to improve balance and comfort before Saturday.
Lance Stroll said Aston Martin completed Friday’s plan and full programme. Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack described reliability in Brazil as more positive, with pace broadly as expected. At Cadillac, Valtteri Bottas said FP2 focused more on long runs. Team principal Marcin Budkowski emphasised maximising each session and consolidating feedback before a potentially changeable weekend.
Conditions provide context for those assessments. Pirelli Chief Engineer Simone Berra said warmer FP1 conditions increased thermal degradation. When temperatures fell in FP2, some teams found it harder to bring the front tyres into their working range for qualifying simulations. Lap times from differing programmes do not offer an equal comparison.
INKA SPORTS Analysis and Conclusion: Completing different preparation tasks
INKA SPORTS considers complete information and a usable car window central to midfield preparation. Audi need to recover missing running, Alpine must make the observed pace accessible to their regular drivers, and Aston Martin and Cadillac must build on smooth programmes. Each Friday assessment has specific conditions, with Saturday’s running still needed to test the progress.
