Overview
- The Ferrari driver ended Friday only eighth and close to a second off Lando Norris’s best time.
- He said McLaren and Aston Martin appear in their own league for this weekend.
- Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko rejected an IndyStar report linking Alex Palou to the team for 2026, saying there were no talks and no interest.
- Overnight, Racing Bulls and Aston Martin broke curfew under their permitted jokers to complete repairs, including a chassis change for Lance Stroll after his FT2 crash and power-unit work for Racing Bulls.
- After morning rain, the track had dried by the end of the F1 Academy session, pointing to a likely dry FT3 at 11:30 before qualifying at 15:00.