- Lewis Hamilton experienced a power-related stoppage during Free Practice 2 at the Mexico City Grand Prix, leaving Ferrari engineers to investigate the fault.
- Ferrari opted not to field a rookie in FP1, using Hamilton to run aerodynamic rakes before the mechanical issue restricted him to 11th in the second session.
- Team Principal Fred Vasseur confirmed that Ferrari will decide overnight on the necessary repairs ahead of final practice and qualifying.
Technical Setback Interrupts Hamilton’s Mexico City Preparations
Ferrari’s Friday practice sessions at the Mexico City Grand Prix yielded mixed fortunes as Lewis Hamilton suffered an untimely mechanical issue in Free Practice 2. While team-mate Charles Leclerc topped the timing sheets across the day, Hamilton’s running was cut short when he received an order from the pit wall to halt his car on track due to a power-related problem. The stoppage confined the British driver to 11th place in the FP2 standings and prevented him from conducting crucial high-fuel race simulations.
The disrupted afternoon capped off an atypical Friday programme for Hamilton. Ferrari was the sole outfit on the grid that chose not to run a rookie driver in the opening session. Instead, the Scuderia used the first practice hour to conduct developmental tests on the SF-26, outfitting Hamilton’s car with large aerodynamic rakes during the early stages. Although he recovered to finish fourth in FP1 behind Leclerc and the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and Fred Vesti, his on-track mileage remained severely limited across both sessions.
Hamilton Optimistic Despite Lost Track Time
Reflecting on the premature conclusion to his track running, Hamilton expressed frustration with the timing of the failure but maintained confidence in the underlying pace of his car. Addressing his feelings before the car came to a halt, Hamilton remarked:
“I was feeling really good in the car – it’s just my luck. I think we did a really good job in getting the set-up in a better place. Just really unfortunate. I think we’re really competitive this weekend as a team. I didn’t get to do the long runs so I have no idea, but I know it’s really hard to overtake here, as you saw with some people out there. They’re still investigating to find out what was wrong, and just praying that everything’s okay.”
Hamilton also detailed how the combined aerodynamic testing in FP1 and the breakdown in FP2 severely compromised his operational run plan, noting that he had already sensed a deficit prior to pulling over:
“I missed a little bit of time in FP1 because we did the rake running. Normally I would have one of the young drivers do FP1 at this track like most people did, but I opted to do it somewhere else. Basically I’ve only really had one session because I missed at least half of that session. I don’t think we need to make many changes to the set-up. I’d probably leave it much the same because we were very quick. I think I already had a loss of power earlier on in the lap and was still quick. I’ll give it everything tomorrow and just try to do the best with whatever I have.”
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Vasseur and Ferrari Face Critical Overnight Decisions
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur confirmed that technical personnel would spend the evening diagnosing the root cause of the power glitch before determining whether component replacements are required. Although Leclerc led both practice sessions, his buffer to the rest of the field shrank from nearly seven-tenths of a second in FP1 to just 0.103 seconds in the second session, underscoring the tight margins at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Vasseur highlighted the complex demands imposed on the power units and aerodynamic packages by Mexico City’s thin air and high altitude, noting:
“It’s very early stages. You know that Mexico is a challenge – it is a challenge with the altitude and for the car, for the drivers to find the limit. It is like it is – it’s the same for everybody and we have to do a lot of work tonight to improve the situation. The pace was there from this morning. From the first lap the pace was there on the long stint, on one lap, and it means that we have to finetune. We still have a lot of work to do on the set-up and on the car because it’s quite extreme conditions. You know that each weekend the competition is mega tight. Last year you had half a tenth between P2 and P6 and you can move from hero to zero. Let’s be focused on ourselves, don’t think about classification and try to do the best from what we have.”
Why This Matters
The high altitude of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez places immense stress on Formula 1 power units, turbochargers, and cooling systems due to the low air density. With overtaking historically difficult at the venue, starting position is paramount. Any potential component changes or penalties resulting from Hamilton’s power unit investigation could severely compromise his weekend. Furthermore, missing long-run simulations leaves Hamilton and his engineering crew reliant on data collected solely from Leclerc’s side of the garage heading into Free Practice 3 and Saturday’s qualifying session.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused Lewis Hamilton’s car to stop during FP2?
Hamilton was instructed to stop on track after encountering a power-related technical problem. Ferrari is actively investigating the exact cause of the failure to determine the extent of the damage.
Why did Ferrari run aerodynamic rakes on Hamilton’s car in FP1?
Ferrari chose not to run a designated rookie driver during the opening hour of practice, using that track time instead to conduct correlation work and test aerodynamic components on Hamilton’s challenger.
Will Hamilton face grid penalties for qualifying?
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur stated that the team would evaluate the issue and take a decision overnight regarding the car’s components, which will dictate whether any penalty-inducing parts must be changed.
