Brief overview
The first free practice session in Mexico played out on a very dirty, low-grip track. That made the session difficult to interpret. Verstappen was lightning fast in the qualifying simulation. On the long runs, he struggled. The McLarens drove strongly on the long runs, but they used a softer tyre than Red Bull. As a result, direct comparisons are difficult.
What the times show
These are the averages of the long runs on Friday:
- Lando Norris - 1:21.806 (9 laps) - C4 soft
- George Russell - 1:22.402 (7 laps) - C3 medium
- Oscar Piastri - 1:22.476 (10 laps) - C4 soft
- Kimi Antonelli - 1:22.647 (11 laps) - C3 medium
- Max Verstappen - 1:22.821 (10 laps) - C3 medium
- Lewis Hamilton - 1:22.847 (6 laps) - C3 medium
- Charles Leclerc - 1:22.879 (11 laps) - C3 medium
Main conclusions
The low grip seems to highlight the strength of the C4 soft tyre. McLaren benefited from this on the long runs. That may give the impression that McLaren is objectively faster. But much of the difference comes from tyre choice.
Oscar Piastri again struggled to keep pace with teammate Norris. He called his loose fast lap on softs pretty average and wants to work on consistency tomorrow. Piastri does not see this as a continuation of his problems in Austin.
Norris missed FP1 because Pato O'Ward was driving the car in that session. Still, his long-run pace was strong. He reported finding the car's limit quickly, but also said the balance was very variable over a single lap.
Where Verstappen benefits
The difference in front-end grip between Red Bull and the competition was striking. Especially in the slow-moving corner combination of turns 4-5, Verstappen has a clear advantage. He can turn in earlier and maintains grip at a fainter approach angle. That quickly costs the others a few tenths per lap.
Leclerc closely follows Verstappen on the timesheet, but also loses mostly in that same corner combination. Ferrari seems to drive with a higher engine setting at times. This helps on straights and when testing planks wear and brake cooling. In addition, Ferrari's maximum wing position seems slightly lower than that of Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes, which also gives straightaway pace.
Mercedes and other teams
Mercedes came out well on the slow corners. Kimi Antonelli set a qualifying lap between Leclerc and Norris. Still, both Russell and Antonelli were not satisfied with the long runs. Verstappen and the Ferrari drivers also complained of lack of grip.
Some of those complaints can be explained by the fact that the medium C3 did not work as well on the dirty, hot track this weekend. Teams will continue to adjust balance settings. In Mexico, the temperature and grip changes very quickly due to the thin air. As a result, car balance and inter-relationships can suddenly flip.
What to expect
Considering tyre preferences and changing balance, there is likely to be more clarity tomorrow. Expect shifting ratios. Small adjustments to the set-up could have big consequences here.
- Verstappen strong on one lap, less so on long run.
- McLaren fast at long range thanks to soft tyre.
- Mercedes good out of corners, but dissatisfied with long runs.
- Ferrari shows straight-line pace possible due to engine mode and lower wing.
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