Alpine driver Fernando Alonso topped the time-sheets for the second free practice of the Brazil Grand Prix. The Spaniard was followed by Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas who were second and third fastest. Alonso topped a session for the first time since 2017 and a practice session for the first time since 2014.
Due to the sprint format and extreme track evolution on the unused Interlagos Circuit, the session was fairly unrepresentative of the true pace of any team. The second practice session of the Brazil Grand Prix witnessed teams test out several different simulations.
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon clocked the fourth fastest lap of the session, followed by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who was fifth fastest. Red Bull F1 driver Sergio Perez clocked the sixth fastest time.
Alfa Romeo drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen clocked the seventh and tenth fastest time of the session. Sandwiched between the two Alfa Romeos were the Ferrari drivers who clocked the eighth and ninth fastest times in the second practice of the Brazil Grand Prix.
All the teams were on different programs, with some attempting long-run simulations on heavier fuel loads and some working on sprint simulations while keeping on lower fuel loads. Although Alonso was 0.864 seconds quicker than Verstappen, the pace comparison was unrepresentative and not likely to translate to the actual race.
Mercedes and Red Bull F1 drivers both spent most of the session evaluating their long-running performances over the entire race distance. Since track tempratures were warmer than the previous day, Red Bull Racing looked slightly more comfortable than the Mercedes around the Interlagos Circuit.
Overall, it was a fairly inconclusive Brazil Grand Prix practice session; one of the pitfalls of the sprint race format for the weekend.
Full results from FP2 at F1 Brazil Grand Prix 2021
The following are the entire results from the second free practice of the Brazil Grand Prix: