- Charles Leclerc set the fastest pace in opening practice for the Mexico Grand Prix, recording a dominant 1m18.128s lap for Ferrari.
- Ten rookie drivers participated in the session, with Mercedes young talents Kimi Antonelli and Frederik Vesti finishing second and third respectively.
- Low grip levels, rapid track evolution, technical trouble for Red Bull and Audi stand-ins, and a brief virtual safety car framed the 60-minute running.
Leclerc Paces Opening Mexican GP Practice Ahead of Mercedes Duo
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc commanded the opening practice session for the Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix, establishing a comfortable margin at the top of the timing sheets. Leclerc clocked an impressive benchmark of 1m18.128s, outpacing runner-up Kimi Antonelli by 0.659 seconds. Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti locked in third place with a 1m18.861s lap time, giving the Silver Arrows two drivers inside the top three during an unconventional session featuring heavy rookie participation.
The first 60 minutes of track running at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez saw significant evolution as teams dealt with dusty, low-grip conditions. Leclerc initially launched practice with a 1m21.965s effort before lap times tumbled across the field. Antonelli, running the hard compound, shaved 1.151s off that initial marker and subsequently posted a 1m20.155s. Leclerc struck back with a 1m19.197s, edging Antonelli by 0.303s as the pair dominated the primary phases of the session.
Rapid Track Evolution and Soft Tyre Quali Simulations
Lewis Hamilton entered the mix after roughly 25 minutes, slotting into third place with a 1m19.869s before lowering the benchmark further to a 1m19.137s—just 0.060s clear of the pack. When the session transitioned to soft-tyre qualifying simulations at the halfway point, Leclerc asserted control. The Ferrari driver beat his teammate’s hard-compound pace by 1.009s to lock in his session-topping 1m18.128s. Antonelli’s soft-tyre response came in at 1m18.787s, keeping him second overall.
Vesti, who substituted for George Russell at Mercedes, made the most of his soft-tyre run to jump to third, ending up just 0.080s adrift of Antonelli and 0.733s behind Leclerc. Hamilton completed the top four, finishing 0.738s back from his Ferrari rival. Ayumu Iwasa, stepping into Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, took fifth place on medium tyres with a 1m19.113s, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly secured sixth on softs with a 1m19.210s.
Incidents and Disruption Across a Packed Rookie Grid
Aside from Ferrari, every constructor on the grid elected to run a rookie driver during Free Practice 1. However, the lack of circuit grip caught out several competitors. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and rookie Leonardo Fornaroli both suffered off-track excursions through sector one. Piastri struggled to find balance in his MCL40, concluding his session in eighth position, 1.248s off Leclerc’s pace. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso took seventh (+1.229s), while Oliver Bearman (+1.284s) and Arvid Lindblad (+1.350s) rounded out the top ten.
Reliability concerns interrupted programs elsewhere in the paddock. Isack Hadjar suffered power-unit difficulties in his Red Bull, and Audi stand-in Freddie Slater was restricted by mechanical gremlins. The running was briefly brought under virtual safety car conditions when Jak Crawford stopped his Aston Martin, usually driven by Lance Stroll, at Turn 1. Following the neutralisation, the field reverted to harder compounds for long-run evaluations across the final 10 minutes.
Why This Matters
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is widely selected by Formula 1 teams to satisfy mandatory young-driver rookie outing rules. The circuit’s exceptional elevation and infrequent usage make Free Practice 1 unrepresentative of the conditions drivers will face in qualifying and the Grand Prix, both of which take place at least 90 minutes later in the afternoon. For frontline drivers like Charles Leclerc, establishing baseline pace early provides momentum, whereas front-running teams relying on stand-ins must adapt swiftly once regular race drivers resume duties in higher-grip subsequent sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were there 10 rookie drivers running in FP1 at the Mexico Grand Prix?
All teams except Ferrari used the opening Mexican Grand Prix session to satisfy FIA rookie testing allocations. The session takes place at least 90 minutes earlier in the day than qualifying and the race, on a low-grip surface that evolves rapidly over the weekend, making it strategically optimal to yield running time without sacrificing prime setup conditions for primary drivers.
Who finished in the top three during the opening practice session?
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets with a lap of 1m18.128s. Kimi Antonelli followed in second place with a 1m18.787s (+0.659s), while his Mercedes teammate Frederik Vesti secured third with a 1m18.861s (+0.733s).
What issues disrupted the running during the session?
Power-unit problems affected Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull, Audi stand-in Freddie Slater battled technical faults, and Jak Crawford triggered a brief virtual safety car after halting his Aston Martin at Turn 1. Additionally, low surface grip caused off-track excursions for both Oscar Piastri and Leonardo Fornaroli.
