Charles Leclerc led the second free practice session (TL2) of the Mexico City Grand Prix with a time of 1:17.827, maintaining the pace he established in the first session, MotorSport.com.br reported. Lando Norris followed in second place (+0.103s), with George Russell in third (+0.106s), leaving the two British drivers separated by just 0.003 seconds, according to reports from Terra and diariOnline Região Sul.
Leclerc and Norris battle for top times
Leclerc initially set a benchmark of 1min18s257 using medium tires. Lando Norris later took the lead on soft tires, clocking a lap 0.096s faster than Leclerc’s initial effort, as noted by MotorSport.com.br. However, the final classification saw Leclerc return to the top spot.
FP1 CLASSIFICATIONCharles Leclerc tops the timesheets in FP1, by over six tenths to Kimi Antonelli! 😮💨#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/3xObTEhxHE
Mercedes showed strong competitiveness with soft tires. Kimi Antonelli briefly held second place before Norris improved, while George Russell eventually surpassed Antonelli by 0.016s to claim third. Max Verstappen entered the top five with a time of 1min18s138, 0.311s behind Leclerc, after spending a significant portion of the session in the pits, MotorSport.com.br reported.
Did you know? The session featured a high number of reserve drivers. Metrópoles reported that 10 reserve drivers participated across the Friday sessions, including Freddie Slater and Jak Crawford.
Verstappen and Lawson collision triggers red flag
An early incident between Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson forced a red flag for track debris cleaning. Verstappen struck the side of Lawson’s Racing Bulls car, breaking the front wing of car #30, according to MotorSport.com.br. Formula 1 officials noted the incident, and stewards left the investigation for after the session.
Other mechanical issues hampered the field. Lewis Hamilton suffered a mechanical failure that forced him to stop his Ferrari on track, triggering a virtual safety car, as reported by MotorSport.com.br and Terra. Lance Stroll also returned to the pits with problems in his Aston Martin.
Bortoleto limited by electronic failure
Gabriel Bortoleto finished in the last position (22nd) after a session plagued by technical difficulties. DiariOnline Região Sul reported that an electronic failure prevented the Brazilian from entering the track until 13 minutes before the session ended.
Bortoleto, who sat out TL1 to allow rookie Freddie Slater to drive, only managed a few laps on medium tires to adjust the Audi’s pace. He recorded a final time of 1:20.174, 2.347s slower than Leclerc, according to the results published by Terra.
Mexico GP session timeline
Following the free practice sessions on Friday, October 30, the schedule continues with the third training session (TL3) on Saturday, October 31, at 14:30 Brasília time, followed by qualifying at 18:00 Brasília time, according to Metrópoles.
Common Questions about Mexico GP TL2
Why did Gabriel Bortoleto finish last in TL2?
Bortoleto suffered an electronic failure that kept him in the garage for most of the session, only allowing him to drive for the final 13 minutes, as reported by diariOnline Região Sul.
What happened to Lewis Hamilton during the session?
Hamilton had to stop his Ferrari on the track due to mechanical failures, which caused a virtual safety car, according to MotorSport.com.br and Terra.
Who was involved in the red flag incident?
Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson collided early in the session, resulting in a broken front wing for Lawson and debris on the track at Turn 15, according to Formula 1 official reports cited by MotorSport.com.br.
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