Charles Leclerc topped the charts in Free Practice 1 for the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver showed impressive speed, finishing just ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Nico Hulkenberg. Leclerc was a tenth faster than Antonelli, while Hulkenberg trailed by three-tenths, with Oscar Piastri, the championship leader, in fourth.
McLaren’s Piastri gained valuable insights while his competitors, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, sat in the pits. This session featured a surge of young talent, with nine rookies hitting the track. Surprisingly, only Kick Sauber refrained from using a junior driver.
Stand-in drivers like Arvid Lindblad from Red Bull and Paul Aron from Alpine aimed to shine. With a chance to advance to the main championship next season, they took the opportunity seriously. Esteban Ocon initially led the timesheets with a 1m 20.934s, but as the track conditions improved, lap times dropped quickly.
Piastri became the first driver to break the 1m 20s barrier, clocking a 1m 19.035s. He was quick off the line, using soft tires early on. As the session progressed, Leclerc first took the top spot with a 1m 18.895s, then later pushed down further to a final best of 1m 18.380s. Antonelli grabbed the second spot with a 1m 18.487s, while Piastri ultimately split the two Sauber drivers.
Among the rookies, Lindblad stood out, finishing sixth in Max Verstappen’s car. Red Bull brought a new floor and cooling system to Mexico, which may have contributed to their strong performance. Yuki Tsunoda followed Lindblad in eighth place, while the top 10 rounded out with Ocon, Franco Colapinto, and Alex Albon.
As the session wrapped up, rookie drivers like Hadjar and Fernando Alonso showed promise, while the rest of the stand-ins, including McLaren’s Pato O’Ward and others, aimed for a better showing.
This current practice has garnered mixed reactions on social media, with fans eagerly anticipating the races. According to a recent poll, 75% of fans are excited about the debut of new talent in Formula 1, reflecting a growing interest in the sport’s future.
With all regular drivers returning for Free Practice 2 later today, the excitement at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez continues to build. This race may reveal further developments in the championship as the season unfolds.
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