Charles Leclerc secured the fastest times in both Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix on Friday. The Ferrari driver’s performance positions his team as a frontrunner heading into Saturday’s qualifying session. George Russell, who finished third in FP2, stated that Ferrari appears to be the strongest competitor at present.
During Free Practice 1, Leclerc posted a 1:18.128, leading Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli by 0.659 seconds. Frederik Vesti, deputising for Russell in the Mercedes W17 as part of rookie driver obligations, placed third with a 1:18.861.
Lewis Hamilton, in the second Ferrari, was fourth in FP1, recording a 1:18.866. Ten rookie drivers participated in the opening session, with Vesti being the fastest among them.
Leclerc continued his strong form in Free Practice 2, setting a lap time of 1:17.827. McLaren’s Lando Norris was second, just 0.103 seconds adrift. Russell improved to third, 0.106 seconds behind Leclerc.
Kimi Antonelli finished FP2 in fourth, 0.217 seconds off Leclerc’s pace, while Max Verstappen of Red Bull secured fifth. Verstappen’s session included a collision with Liam Lawson, which resulted in a brief red flag.
Lewis Hamilton’s FP2 session was curtailed by a power unit issue, forcing him to stop on track. This incident interrupted Ferrari’s long-run preparations.
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, situated at approximately 2,240 metres above sea level, presents unique challenges due to its high altitude. The thinner air reduces aerodynamic downforce and places increased strain on power units, particularly turbochargers.
The 2026 technical regulations, which include the removal of the MGU-H, further complicate engine performance and cooling at this circuit. Teams must balance performance with reliability in these conditions.
Russell noted the impact of the altitude on the 2026 cars, stating that teams are already running maximum downforce at most tracks. This means there is less additional downforce available for Mexico, leading to lower grip levels than previously experienced.
Despite Ferrari’s pace, Russell indicated that the competitive order remains tight among the top four teams. He suggested that driver performance will be a critical factor in qualifying.
Mercedes is still working to optimise its latest car package, with Russell acknowledging ongoing balance limitations. Kimi Antonelli, who leads the Drivers’ Championship, participated in practice after recovering from a viral illness earlier in the week.
Ferrari’s consistent speed in both practice sessions suggests the team has found an effective operating window for the high-altitude conditions. Their chassis and aerodynamic package are performing well in the low-speed corners.
“It’s fair to say Ferrari is looking strongest at the moment,” Russell commented. “We expected on this sort of circuit for them to perform best. If you have a very good chassis, come Q3, I think it can go any way.”
