Key Facts
- Who. Six rookies, drivers with at most two Grand Prix starts, replace regular drivers in Friday’s first practice.
- When. First practice starts Friday, 6 November, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET). The race is Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET.
- Where. Interlagos circuit (Autódromo José Carlos Pace), São Paulo, Brazil; round 20 of 23 on the calendar.
- How to watch. Apple TV is the only US broadcaster, at US$14.99 a month. All three practice sessions are free in the app.
This story is part of our coverage of the São Paulo Grand Prix 2026. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
Latest: São Paulo F1 Race Streams Sunday on Apple TV
Published Friday, 6 November, 8:26 a.m. ET (10:26 a.m. São Paulo) · Source: Formula 1, Apple, Interlagos organisers, Rio Times research
Six Rookies Take the Wheel
Six rookie drivers will sit in regular cars in Friday’s first practice session at Interlagos, the São Paulo circuit formally named Autódromo José Carlos Pace, as the São Paulo Grand Prix 2026 weekend begins. Under 2026 rules, every full-time driver must make way for a rookie, defined as someone who has started no more than two Grands Prix, in two practice sessions across the season.
Leonardo Fornaroli, the reigning Formula 2 champion (Formula 2 is the feeder series below Formula 1), drives Oscar Piastri’s McLaren and completes McLaren’s mandatory rookie allocation. Dino Beganovic, a 22-year-old Swede from Ferrari’s driver academy, replaces Charles Leclerc.
Luke Browning, a 24-year-old British reserve driver at Williams, replaces Carlos Sainz in his final scheduled rookie outing of the season. Freddie Slater, an 18-year-old Briton in Audi’s young-driver programme, replaces Nico Hülkenberg.
Gabriele Mini, a 21-year-old Italian from the Alpine academy, replaces Pierre Gasly. Colton Herta, a 26-year-old American and Cadillac test driver, replaces Sergio Pérez and needs at least 100 km to secure his final Super Licence point, the points-based qualification needed to race in Formula 1.
A Weekend Without a Title Decider
Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes clinched the drivers’ title on 1 November in Mexico City, so Sunday’s race decides no champion. After round 19 he leads on 380 points, followed by Max Verstappen of Red Bull on 261, Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) on 259, George Russell (Mercedes) on 250, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) on 245 and Lando Norris (McLaren) on 221.
Verstappen, Hamilton, Russell and Leclerc are separated by 16 points, so places two to five remain open. In the constructors’ standings, the teams’ championship, Mercedes has 630 points, Ferrari 504, Red Bull 382 and McLaren 365.
Schedule and Local Interest
Practice 2 follows on Friday, 6 November, at 2:00 p.m. ET, and Practice 3 is Saturday, 7 November, at 9:30 a.m. ET. Qualifying, which sets the starting grid, is Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
The race starts Sunday, 8 November, at 12:00 p.m. ET, which is 2:00 p.m. in São Paulo and 17:00 UTC. There is no sprint this weekend, and the 71-lap race covers 305.879 km on a 4.309 km circuit.
Rafael Câmara, a 21-year-old Brazilian who leads the Formula 2 standings, makes his full Formula 1 debut with the Haas team alongside Oliver Bearman. Gabriel Bortoleto, the Brazilian who drives for Audi, is also on the grid.
Interlagos first hosted a Grand Prix in 1973, and Brazil’s Emerson Fittipaldi won there in 1973 and 1974. The fastest lap on record is 1:10.540, set by Valtteri Bottas in 2018.
What It Means for US Readers
Apple TV is the only US broadcaster of Formula 1 in 2026, at US$14.99 a month. All three practice sessions are free in the Apple TV app, while qualifying and the race need a subscription unless Apple announces otherwise.
Apple TV subscribers also receive F1 TV Premium, the series’ own streaming service, after linking their accounts. For fans travelling to Brazil, tickets start at R$990 (about US$180) and the three-day fanzone costs R$620 (about US$113), at the 6 November rate of about 5.50 reais per dollar.
What Is Not Known
Friday’s practice results, the weather forecast and any grid penalties are not yet known. We could not confirm whether more tickets will go on sale, since some sectors had already sold out.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the São Paulo Grand Prix start?
The race starts Sunday, 8 November, at 12:00 p.m. ET, which is 2:00 p.m. in São Paulo. Qualifying is Saturday, 7 November, at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Is the drivers’ championship still undecided?
No, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes clinched the title on 1 November in Mexico City. The weekend still decides places behind him in the standings.
How can US fans watch?
Apple TV is the only US broadcaster in 2026, at US$14.99 a month. The three practice sessions are free in the app, while qualifying and the race need a subscription.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
Brazil runoff, Sunday, October 25: When is the Brazil runoff election. Latest: Brazil runoff polls, Flávio 51%, Lula 49%.