Key Highlights:
- Charles Leclerc topped Friday’s practice timesheets at the Mexico City Grand Prix, setting the session-best lap of 1m 17.827s for Ferrari.
- A Turn 12 collision between Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson scattered debris on track and brought out a red flag.
- Ferrari endured mixed fortunes as Lewis Hamilton suffered an engine failure that triggered a Virtual Safety Car and cut his running short.
Leclerc Paces FP2 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Charles Leclerc concluded Friday’s track activity at the Mexico City Grand Prix at the summit of the timing screens, edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell during an eventful Free Practice 2. With 10 full-time competitors having sat out the opening practice hour to accommodate mandatory rookie testing, nearly half the grid was eager to maximize mileage. A congested queue had assembled at the pit-lane exit well before the signal turned green at 16:00 local time.
The hour began with immediate operational hurdles for several teams. Haas driver Esteban Ocon reported that he had no power steering
during his installation lap, compelling him to return to the pit box just as his teammate Ollie Bearman briefly stopped at the edge of the circuit. While Bearman recovered to bring his Haas back into the garage, Max Verstappen set an opening benchmark of 1m 20.474s on soft tires. That early standard was quickly superseded by Arvid Lindblad and Isack Hadjar.
Mid-Session Collisions and Mechanical Stoppages
Once baseline runs were logged across the field, Lewis Hamilton momentarily led proceedings for Ferrari with a 1m 18.741s. Leclerc soon responded with his first clean effort, outpacing Hamilton by nearly half a second while steering clear of the severe tire lock-ups that troubled multiple drivers, including Norris. However, severe traffic congestion swiftly disrupted the flow of the session, culminating in an on-track dispute between Verstappen and Liam Lawson behind the Williams of Carlos Sainz. Racing wheel-to-wheel through Turn 12 without conceding position, the pair made contact, littering carbon fiber debris across the track and enforcing a red flag stoppage.
Following the collision, which was formally noted by the stewards, Lawson expressed his frustration over team radio, stating that the Red Bull racer literally drove into me
. Verstappen was able to resume running with under 40 minutes remaining. When action restarted, Norris surged to the top of the leaderboard for McLaren, displacing Leclerc while the Ferrari driver weathered minor lock-ups and wide moments on soft compound tires.
Ferrari’s Highs and Lows in Mexico
Ferrari’s session hit another obstacle when Hamilton was instructed by his pit wall to stop his car on circuit, prompting the deployment of a Virtual Safety Car. A transmission broadcast during the stoppage captured Hamilton explaining: Something’s wrong with the power. I lost all power from Turn 13.
Despite the setback on the sister car, Leclerc restored Ferrari to the front by posting the definitive session-topping time of 1m 17.827s. The lap withheld late challenges from Norris and championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Russell then improved to claim third, finishing a mere 0.003 seconds behind Norris. Leclerc remained unchallenged through the closing stages, finishing ahead of Norris, Russell, Antonelli, and Verstappen.
Hadjar completed the hour in sixth place for Red Bull, leading Lindblad and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, while Lawson and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top ten. Hamilton dropped to eleventh following his early retirement, ending just ahead of Fernando Alonso, Haas teammates Ocon and Bearman, and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg. Franco Colapinto took 16th, clear of Sainz, Cadillac’s Sergio Perez, Williams’ Alex Albon, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas, and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto, who joined the session late after technical repairs.
Why This Matters
With high altitude and thin air placing immense strain on cooling and aerodynamics at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, early Friday setups are crucial for race reliability and tire management. The disruption from rookie driver swaps in FP1 compressed essential long-run evaluations into FP2, heightening on-track aggression and traffic management issues—exemplified by the clash between Verstappen and Lawson. Furthermore, Hamilton’s mid-session power loss highlights potential engine reliability concerns for Ferrari on a circuit renowned for punishing power units, even as Leclerc demonstrated that the car possesses top-tier single-lap pace heading into Saturday’s Qualifying session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was fastest during Friday practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix?
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished as the fastest driver in Free Practice 2, clocking a session-best lap of 1m 17.827s to edge out McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell.
Why was the red flag deployed during FP2?
The red flag was triggered after Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson made contact through Turn 12 while navigating traffic behind Carlos Sainz, leaving debris scattered across the racing surface.
What caused Lewis Hamilton’s early retirement from the session?
Hamilton suffered an engine-related issue and was ordered to stop on track under a Virtual Safety Car after reporting a total loss of power starting from Turn 13.
