Norris snatches late top spot in Mexico
Lando Norris topped the timesheets in the final practice session for the Mexico Grand Prix with a last-gasp effort on the soft tyres. The session saw a flurry of late activity during the qualifying simulations, which ultimately shuffled the established order. Max Verstappen could only manage fifth place in what appeared to be a challenging session for the driver.
Ferrari initially set the pace during the opening half of the hour, with Charles Leclerc leading the way ahead of Lewis Hamilton. However, the final runs on the soft compound tyre proved decisive in shaping the final classification. The early pace shown by the Italian team did not translate into the top spot by the end of the session.
Established names struggle for pace
Kimi Antonelli looked set to claim the top spot for much of the final runs, but ultimately had to settle for an impressive second place. Leclerc ended the session in third, just ahead of Oscar Piastri in fourth. Verstappen’s struggles left him in fifth, while Lewis Hamilton failed to find significant improvement on the soft tyre and finished just behind the Dutch driver.
Session highlights
- Lando Norris set the benchmark for the session with a fastest lap of 1:16.842 in the final minute.
- Kimi Antonelli impressed by holding the top spot for a long period before ultimately finishing second.
- Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both found themselves outside the top four after struggling to maximise the soft tyre.
Full Results Free Practice 3 Mexico GP 2026
| POS | DRIVER | TEAM | TIME / GAP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Lando Norris |
McLaren F1 team | 1:17.600 |
| 2 |  Kimi Antonelli |
Mercedes AMG F1 | 1:17.601 |
| 3 |  Charles Leclerc |
Scuderia Ferrari | 1:17.717 |
| 4 |  Oscar Piastri |
McLaren F1 team | 1:17.795 |
| 5 |  Max Verstappen |
Red Bull Racing | 1:17.951 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton |
Scuderia Ferrari | 1:18.069 |
| 7 | George Russell |
Mercedes AMG F1 | 1:18.107 |
| 8 |  Isack Hadjar |
Red Bull Racing | 1:18.109 |
| 9 |  Liam Lawson |
Racing Bulls | 1:18.113 |
| 10 | Arvid Lindblad |
Racing Bulls | 1:18.137 |
| 11 |  Nico Hulkenberg |
Audi F1 Team | 1:18.560 |
| 12 |  Franco Colapinto |
Alpine F1 | 1:18.652 |
| 13 | Pierre Gasly |
Alpine F1 | 1:18.674 |
| 14 |  Fernando Alonso |
Aston Martin F1 Team | 1:18.850 |
| 15 | Oliver Bearman |
Haas F1 | 1:18.927 |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz |
Williams Racing | 1:19.214 |
| 17 |  Alexander Albon |
Williams Racing | 1:19.301 |
| 18 |  Lance Stroll |
Aston Martin F1 Team | 1:19.376 |
| 19 |  Ryo Hirakawa |
Haas F1 | 1:19.504 |
| 20 |  Valtteri Bottas |
Cadillac F1 Team | 1:20.342 |
| 21 |  Gabriel Bortoleto |
Audi F1 Team | 1:33.242 |
| 22 | Esteban Ocon |
Haas F1 | DNF |
| 22 |  Sergio Pérez |
Cadillac F1 Team | No time |
