McLaren's late charge: Norris tops FP3 as practice-long Ferrari lead wavers
Lando Norris led FP3 by 0.001s over Kimi Antonelli, with Charles Leclerc third after topping both Friday sessions. McLaren emerged as the strongest package by day's end, while ten rookie drivers fulfilled mandatory FP1 outings. Practice pace varies with fuel load and strategy; Saturday's qualifying will clarify the true pecking order.
FP1: Leclerc dominates rookie-heavy opener
Charles Leclerc topped FP1 with a time of 1:18.128, nearly seven tenths clear of Kimi Antonelli in second . [1] Federico Vesti was third and the fastest rookie, while Lewis Hamilton finished fourth . [1]
Vesti was the fastest rookie in FP1, with every team bar Ferrari fielding a substitute . [2]
FP2: Leclerc holds firm as McLaren and Mercedes close
Charles Leclerc put his Ferrari fastest for the second time on Friday, heading Lando Norris and George Russell . [3] Leclerc's 1:17.827 gave him a 0.103-second advantage over Norris, with Russell just 0.003 seconds further back in third. [1]
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fourth, ahead of Verstappen, who somehow managed fifth despite driving with a substantial section of his floor missing . [4]
FP3: Norris edges Antonelli; McLaren strikes
Lando Norris finished fastest in the session, ahead of Kimi Antonelli by just 0.001s, with the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc taking third, after he topped both practice sessions on Friday . [5] Norris set 1:17.600; Antonelli matched 1:17.601. Leclerc was 0.117 seconds adrift. [1]
Oscar Piastri signalled further progress for McLaren with fourth, ahead of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton . [6]
Rookie outings: 10 drivers gain invaluable mileage
FP1 featured 10 rookie drivers taking part, with teams fulfilling part of the mandatory regulation that provides opportunities to young drivers .
The pace picture: Practice tells half the story
With 10 rookies in the field and teams using varied tyres and test programmes, the session offered only a limited read on the competitive order .
Related reading
- [1]Mexico City Grand Prix 2026 Results (formula1). Accessed 2026-10-31.
- [2]F1 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix FP3 Results (motorsport-week). Accessed 2026-10-31.
- [3]F1 Results: Mexican Grand Prix 2026 FP2 (planetf1). Accessed 2026-10-31.
- [4]F1 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix FP1 Results (motorsport-week). Accessed 2026-10-31.
- [5]What happened in Mexican GP FP1 with 10 rookies (the-race). Accessed 2026-10-31.
- [6]Who's replacing Max Verstappen, George Russell and Lando Norris in F1 Mexico GP practice? (crash.net). Accessed 2026-10-31.