Charles Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions in Mexico, but Lando Norris finished just 0.103 seconds behind in FP2. Lewis Hamilton’s stoppage interrupted Ferrari’s promising day, while grid penalties for Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson and Valtteri Bottas added another complication before qualifying.
Charles Leclerc finished Friday fastest in both practice sessions at the Mexican Grand Prix. By the end of the afternoon, though, his closest rivals were little more than a tenth away.
Lando Norris finished second in FP2, 0.103 seconds behind the Ferrari. George Russell was another three thousandths back, putting Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes within 0.106 seconds at the front.
Behind that close contest, Hamilton lost valuable running to a power-related problem. Verstappen and Lawson damaged their cars in a practice clash that later brought matching grid penalties.
Leclerc leads, but Norris closes the gap
Leclerc’s morning advantage was substantial. His 1:18.128 put him 0.659 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli, with Frederik Vesti third in the other Mercedes.
That session came with an important qualification: 10 teams gave a car to a young driver, leaving several regular front-runners on the sidelines.
FP2 offered a fuller comparison. Leclerc improved to 1:17.827, followed by Norris and Russell. Antonelli finished fourth, 0.217 seconds behind, with Verstappen fifth at 0.311 seconds.
For Norris, it was an encouraging start to a weekend that could help him close the gap in the championship’s fight for second.
There is still a difference between showing speed on Friday and sustaining it through a race. Pirelli reported that Norris and Russell completed their longer runs on the soft tire, while Leclerc used the medium. Those different programs limit a direct comparison of their race pace.
Hamilton’s promising day ends early
Hamilton felt Ferrari had improved the setup, but his afternoon ended after 13 laps when he was instructed to stop the car.
He finished 11th and missed his planned long run, leaving him short of information about how the Ferrari would behave over a race stint.
After the session, Ferrari was still investigating the problem. The stoppage was confirmed; its full consequences for the rest of Hamilton’s weekend were not.
Leclerc’s pace showed Ferrari had reason for optimism. Hamilton’s interrupted running showed why the team still had work to do.
Verstappen and Lawson take grid penalties
Verstappen and Lawson each received a one-place grid penalty and one license penalty point after their FP2 confrontation through the stadium section.
The stewards found both drivers’ behavior unacceptable, particularly after teams had already been warned earlier that day. Both drivers acknowledged that their moves had been unnecessary and clumsy.
The incident damaged both cars and interrupted a session that mattered especially to drivers who had missed FP1.
Bottas faces a much larger penalty. Cadillac’s use of additional power-unit components brought a 50-position grid drop. His final starting position will be determined after qualifying and the grid-allocation process.
Friday offers encouragement, qualifying needs answers
Leclerc has set the benchmark. Norris and Russell have shown they are close enough to challenge it.
For Norris, that gives the question behind his Mexico weekend more substance: can McLaren turn Friday’s speed into the result he needs to move closer to the P2 contenders?
Qualifying will provide the next answer. The penalties have already ensured that the starting grid will need a closer look.
