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In Friday’s practice sessions at the Mexico City Grand Prix, it was Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing who led the pack, edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris. The reigning world champion had a 0.119-second lead over Norris, while Charles Leclerc of Ferrari trailed in third place, just 0.147 seconds behind.
The leaderboard had a few unexpected names as well. Valtteri Bottas secured a fourth-place position in his Alfa Romeo, while Daniel Ricciardo’s Alpha Tauri came in sixth. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez bagged the fifth spot, and Lewis Hamilton found himself in a somewhat surprising seventh place for Mercedes, particularly struggling on his single-lap pace.
Mercedes Under the Microscope
Questions arose about Mercedes’ performance, especially since Hamilton was off the mark during his qualifying simulation. However, the silver lining for Mercedes was Hamilton’s stronger race pace, where he was, on average, faster than Verstappen on longer runs.
Norris showcased the best long-run pace, while Ferrari seemed to be the backmarker among the frontrunners, over an extended series of laps.
The Rest of the Pack
Trailing Hamilton, Esteban Ocon from Alpine, Oscar Piastri of McLaren, and Hamilton’s teammate George Russell rounded out the top 10. Russell sat out the first session as Mercedes gave the wheel to their young prospect, Frederik Vesti.
A Spin and a Save
The most notable incident of the day was a high-velocity spin by Fernando Alonso through the Esses. The Aston Martin driver miraculously avoided the walls and quickly corrected his car’s direction. However, the spin left his soft tires in tatters, resulting in him finishing the session without setting a competitive lap time on the quickest rubber.
Weather Whims
There were brief rain showers both at the start and end of the session, but it was insufficient to require a switch from dry-weather tires.
Young Blood on the Track
In the day’s first practice session, where Verstappen also dominated, five teams utilized one of their two obligatory young driver stints. The standout among them was Oliver Bearman, a recruit of the Ferrari driver academy. Driving for Haas, he recorded the 15th fastest time and was just four spots and 0.4 seconds behind the seasoned Nico Hulkenberg.
Bearman had a heart-stopping moment on the kerbs at the Esses but avoided what could have been a disastrous crash, improving his time on the next lap. French rookie Isack Hadjar in the Alpha Tauri was 17th, lagging 1.4 seconds behind Ricciardo, ahead of Jack Doohan in the Alpine and Vesti in the Mercedes.
Braking Woes
Finally, Frenchman Theo Pourchaire experienced a series of braking issues in his Alfa Romeo, preventing him from even completing a single fast lap. His session came to an abrupt end, adding more drama to an already riveting day of practice.
So, gear up folks! If the practice sessions are any indication, the Mexico City Grand Prix promises a thrilling race weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mexico City Grand Prix practice
Who led the practice sessions at the Mexico City Grand Prix?
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing led the practice sessions, maintaining a 0.119-second lead over Lando Norris from McLaren.
How did Lewis Hamilton perform in the practice sessions?
Lewis Hamilton found himself in a somewhat surprising seventh place during the practice sessions, struggling particularly with his single-lap pace. However, he showed stronger performance on his long-run pace, even outperforming Verstappen on average.
Were there any surprises in the top 10?
Yes, Valtteri Bottas driving for Alfa Romeo secured a fourth-place position, while Daniel Ricciardo’s Alpha Tauri came in at sixth. These performances were considered somewhat surprising given the typical order of teams.
What notable incidents occurred during the sessions?
The most significant incident was a high-speed spin by Fernando Alonso. Although he managed to control the car and avoid crashing into the walls, the spin ruined his soft tires, leaving him unable to set a competitive lap time.
How did young drivers perform in the practice?
Oliver Bearman, a member of the Ferrari driver academy, was the standout among the young drivers. He recorded the 15th fastest time driving for Haas and was just four spots and 0.4 seconds behind Nico Hulkenberg. Isack Hadjar in the Alpha Tauri was 17th, 1.4 seconds slower than Daniel Ricciardo.
Were there any weather-related interruptions?
There were brief periods of rain at the start and end of the session, but it wasn’t significant enough to require a switch from dry-weather tires to wet-weather tires.
What were the technical problems faced by drivers?
Theo Pourchaire of Alfa Romeo faced a series of braking issues, which prevented him from completing even a single fast lap. His session was consequently cut short.
What’s the general outlook for the Mexico City Grand Prix based on these practice sessions?
Based on the practice sessions, the Mexico City Grand Prix is shaping up to be a highly competitive and exciting race, with a mix of expected frontrunners and surprising performances, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming event.
More about Mexico City Grand Prix practice
- Official F1 Website for Mexico City Grand Prix
- Sport News Center’s Live Coverage
- Red Bull Racing Team’s Official Statement
- McLaren’s Post-Practice Interview with Lando Norris
- Lewis Hamilton’s Comments on Mercedes’ Performance
- Profile of Young Drivers in F1
- Weather Forecast for Mexico City Grand Prix
- Ferrari’s Post-Practice Overview
- In-Depth Analysis of Fernando Alonso’s Spin
- Technical Analysis of Practice Sessions by Motorsport Experts
10 comments
Sergio Perez in 5th, not bad but he needs to catch up. Being the second fiddle to Max ain’t gonna cut it.
kinda surprised to see Bottas and Ricciardo up there, didn’t see that coming at all!
Theo Pourchaire, what happened dude? Braking problems? Hope they sort it out before the race.
Alonso still has the reflexes, huh. Dodged a bullet there with that spin.
Lando is sooo close! Could this be his weekend?? Fingers crossed.
Rain almost played spoil sport, good thing it didn’t. Keeps the race exciting without the mess.
young drivers are the future man! Bearman and Hadjar, names to look out for.
Hamilton in 7th? That’s gotta hurt. But never count the man out, he’s like a Phoenix, always rising!
Wow, Max is killing it again. But let’s see how it turns out in the actual race. Practice is one thing, racing’s a whole diff ball game.
Stats are indicating a close match between Verstappen and Hamilton in long runs. Sunday’s gonna be epic!