Verstappen Tops Mexican GP Practice

Mexico City — Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen demonstrated why he has been the dominant force at the Mexican Grand Prix in recent years, delivering a commanding performance in the second free practice session. Charles Leclerc came close but ultimately settled for second place, while Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli managed to break into the top three.

As the session approached its midpoint, teams and drivers began switching to soft compound tires. Leclerc initially set the pace with a time of 1:17.545, but Verstappen was quick to surpass that mark. Mercedes showed promising form with Antonelli and George Russell, indicating they have the tools to challenge Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. McLaren's Oscar Piastri, however, had a session to forget, as the Australian driver will need to fine-tune his car to close the gap to Verstappen and protect his current lead in the drivers' championship, with the final stage of the campaign now underway.

Hamilton improved his performance to climb to fifth position, three-tenths off the leader, while his Mercedes teammate, Russell, slotted in just behind. Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top positions, followed by Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Verstappen appears to be in form to contend for the title. With two sprint races remaining in the season, this could provide further opportunities for the Dutch driver. He has wasted no time and can be considered the favorite for both qualifying and the main race, having won three of the last four competitions—a streak that has allowed him to close the gap to championship leader Piastri to just 40 points.

The high altitude of Mexico City results in less downforce compared to other circuits on the calendar, making every practice session crucial. Saturday's qualifying promises to deliver even more excitement.

Results of FP2 at the Mexican GP

1. Max Verstappen – Red Bull – 1:17.392
2. Charles Leclerc – Ferrari – 1:17.545
3. Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes – 1:17.566
4. Lando Norris – McLaren – 1:17.643
5. Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari – 1:17.692
6. George Russell – Mercedes – 1:17.829
7. Yuki Tsunoda – Red Bull – 1:17.883
8. Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin – 1:17.938
9. Carlos Sainz – Williams – 1:17.939
10. Lance Stroll – Aston Martin – 1:17.954
11. Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls – 1:18.218
12. Oscar Piastri – McLaren – 1:18.232
13. Esteban Ocon – Haas – 1:18.266
14. Isack Hadjar – Racing Bulls – 1:18.281
15. Gabriel Bortoleto – Stake – 1:18.323
16. Nico Hülkenberg – Stake – 1:18.348
17. Oliver Bearman – Haas – 1:18.442
18. Franco Colapinto – Alpine – 1:18.721
19. Alexander Albon – Williams – 1:18.855
20. Pierre Gasly – Alpine – 1:19.194

Minute-by-Minute Session Recap

FP2 0:00 | Verstappen showed strong performance in the second free practice session. Norris was clearly ahead of his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri; however, the British driver did not complete an additional run on soft tires after the Australian.

FP2 11:47 | Time is becoming Verstappen's ally as no one has been able to beat his 1:17.392. The next ten minutes will be decisive, with Leclerc, Norris, Antonelli, and Hamilton pushing their cars to the limit to dethrone the Dutch driver.

FP2 19:57 | Alex Albon had slight contact with the wall. The Williams driver appears to be unharmed, and the car sustained no damage, which is positive news. A post from Formula 1's official account on X stated, "Alex is finding the limits in FP2. The Williams driver makes contact with the barrier, but seems to have got away with no damage! #F1 #MexicoGP"

FP2 25:00 | Verstappen surpassed Charles Leclerc by a tenth and a half and led Lando Norris by two and a half tenths. Antonelli also joined the fight.

FP2 30:03 | The Red Bull Dutch driver moved into first place, setting a time of 1:17.392 on the soft tires. The response from Ferrari and McLaren remains to be seen.

FP2 35:55 | Max Verstappen and Lando Norris will want to reduce their points deficit to the Australian driver as quickly as possible, both in this race and in the championship fight. The final half-hour of this practice is very important.

FP2 43:07 | All drivers in the upper part of the timing sheets entered the pits to adjust details in their car configurations and attempt to set even better times in this second free practice session.

FP2 49:03 | The Monegasque driver continued his dominance while McLaren applied pressure, but Hamilton could not be discounted and Verstappen held fifth place. Meanwhile, the Mercedes team did not seem to be having the afternoon they had hoped for.

FP2 56:19 | Leclerc set purple sectors in all three segments and placed himself at the top of the timing sheets. Antonelli and Hülkenberg moved into second and third, repeating the podium from the first practice session.

FP2 59:42 | Liam Lawson and George Russell were the first on track after missing the FP1 activity. Charles Leclerc had set the best time of the session and will look to extend Ferrari's recent hegemony over the Mexican circuit.

FP2 60:00 | The second free practice session began at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Teams had a crucial hour to fine-tune their race pace, analyze tire performance, and adjust qualifying strategies. Unlike FP1, all 20 primary drivers were on track, ready to push their cars to the limit. With the sun setting over Mexico City, the search for the ideal setup for Saturday and Sunday commenced. A post from Formula 1's official account on X stated, "Drivers assemble! It’s FP2 time. For the likes of Max and Lando, this will be their first on-track running this weekend! #F1 #MexicoGP"

Context and Build-Up to FP2

15:30 hrs | Thirty minutes until the start of the second Practice session at the AHR. Would Ferrari repeat the best time, or would it be the turn of one of the championship contenders?

15:18 hrs | George Russell went undercover. The British Mercedes driver had yielded his car to rookie Fred Vesti and used the break to watch FP1 from a new perspective. Wearing a luchador mask, Russell infiltrated the grandstands among the fans and enjoyed the action before returning to the team's garage. A post from Formula 1's official account on X noted, "Undercover George! George Russell heads to the grandstand to watch Fred Vesti at the wheel of his Mercedes car in FP1. #F1 #MexicoGP"

15:00 hrs | One hour before the start of FP2 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the 20 drivers prepared to take to the circuit and gather key information for Saturday's qualifying and Sunday's race. Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll, Oliver Bearman, Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson, and defending Mexican Grand Prix champion Carlos Sainz were set to complete their first laps of the weekend on the Mexican track, having given up their seats to development drivers during FP1. The most notable debutant was Red Bull prospect Arvid Lindblad, who finished in sixth position at the wheel of Verstappen's car, outperforming his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. A post from Formula 1's official account on X stated, "Bravo, Arvid. The Red Bull junior is the top-placed rookie from today’s FP1 in Mexico. #F1 #MexicoGP"

Impact of Mexico City's Altitude on F1

The Autódromo is located 2,285 meters above sea level, making it the highest track on the entire calendar. This altitude has a profound technical impact. Atmospheric pressure drops by approximately 20% compared to sea level, meaning the air contains a quarter fewer molecules than in locations like Bahrain or Monza. In practice, the cars must adapt to an environment with less oxygen, less resistance, and a much-reduced capacity to dissipate heat.

Results of FP1 at the Mexican GP

Formula 1 fired up its engines at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to kick off the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix. With a mix of established drivers and new talents, the first free practice offered an hour of consistent activity and valuable information for the teams ahead of Saturday's qualifying. Charles Leclerc ended the session with the best time of the day, setting a 1:18.380, just ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Nico Hülkenberg, who completed the top three. A post from Formula 1's official account on X showed the results: "Charles Leclerc is fastest in FP1. Here’s our top-three from first practice in Mexico. #F1 #MexicoGP"

1. Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:18.380
2. Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:18.487
3. Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | 1:18.760
4. Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:18.784
5. Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1:18.916
6. Arvid Lindblad | Red Bull | 1:18.997
7. Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:19.038
8. Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | 1:19.090
9. Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:19.331
10. Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:19.384
11. Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:19.409
12. Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:19.472
13. Pato O'Ward | McLaren | 1:19.680
14. Fred Vesti | Mercedes | 1:19.689
15. Paul Aron | Alpine | 1:19.862
16. Ryo Hirakawa | Haas | 1:20.073
17. Ayumu Iwasa | Racing Bulls | 1:20.153
18. Luke Browning | Williams | 1:20.310
19. Jak Crawford | Aston Martin | 1:20.371
20. Antonio Fuoco | Ferrari | 1:20.854

Team Standings Entering the Mexican GP

The Mexican Grand Prix takes place at a decisive stage of the championship. Oscar Piastri leads the standings with 346 points, followed by Lando Norris with 332, while Max Verstappen (306) remains in the fight after his double victory in Austin. McLaren has already secured the Constructors' title, but Red Bull aims to finish strongly. Mercedes is confident that George Russell can maintain fourth place, and Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, hopes to confirm the strong pace shown in the United States. Williams and Aston Martin aspire to score key points to improve their positions in the table.