Charles Leclerc Ferrari driver tops both practice sessions ahead of Mexico City Grand Prix

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped both practice sessions on Friday ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, as Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli moved closer to securing the Formula One drivers’ championship.

Antonelli, 20, missed Thursday’s media activities while recovering from a viral illness. However, the Italian finished second in the opening practice session and fourth in the afternoon session at the high-altitude Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

He leads Mercedes teammate George Russell by 123 points and needs just two more points to guarantee the championship. A ninth-place finish on Sunday would be enough to secure the title. Russell, meanwhile, must win to keep his title hopes mathematically alive, with four rounds remaining.

Leclerc recorded a fastest lap of one minute 17.827 seconds in the second session, after topping the opening practice with a time of 1:18.128. His first-session advantage was 0.659 seconds.

The Ferrari driver said the team’s overall performance looked encouraging but acknowledged that further work was needed to address some weaknesses. He also described the track surface as slippery and difficult.

McLaren’s reigning world champion Lando Norris finished second in the afternoon session, just 0.103 seconds behind Leclerc, while Russell secured third place.

Leclerc’s teammate, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, brought out a virtual safety car after stopping on track with around 30 minutes remaining.

“I lost all power,” Hamilton reported over team radio.

The session was also interrupted by red flags after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson made contact with 47 minutes remaining. Debris from Verstappen’s car was left on the track.

Lawson complained over team radio that Verstappen had driven into him. The Dutchman later criticised the New Zealander, suggesting he should have acted more carefully, particularly while his future Formula One seat remained uncertain.

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The opening practice session featured 10 drivers who do not regularly race for their teams, as most constructors gave young drivers an opportunity to gain track experience.

Mercedes reserve driver Fred Vesti replaced Russell and finished third, 0.733 seconds behind Leclerc. Hamilton was fourth, while Japanese driver Ayumu Iwasa, who took Verstappen’s seat, was the fastest of the non-race regulars in fifth.

Other young drivers and reserves included Pierre Gasly, Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri, Ollie Bearman and Arvid Lindblad.

Formula Two title contender Nikola Tsolov, who replaced Lawson at Racing Bulls, reported losing sensation in his right leg during the session. He said the seat was compressing his leg and affecting circulation. Despite the discomfort, he finished 12th and returned the car without damage.

Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane described Tsolov’s outing as a textbook first session, praising the young driver for providing useful feedback.

British teenager Freddie Slater also made his Formula One practice debut for Audi. His session began with a cooling fan still attached to the side of the car, but he completed 14 laps.

Aston Martin reserve driver Jak Crawford stopped on track with a suspected power unit problem.

Reigning Formula Two champion Leonardo Fornaroli replaced Norris at McLaren and finished 17th. He briefly lost control after locking a tyre and ran across the grass.

American Colton Herta, driving Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac, was the slowest of the session but completed 30 laps, earning another point towards his Formula One super licence.