In a dominant display of form, Max Verstappen once again asserted his authority at the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix, completing a clean sweep of all three practice sessions. The reigning world champion clocked the fastest time of the weekend so far during Free Practice 3, setting a blistering 1’17.887. This remarkable performance underscores his relentless pursuit of perfection and the formidable package that is the Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB19. However, the biggest surprise and a sign of potential excitement to come was the performance of Williams driver Alexander Albon, who emerged as Verstappen’s closest challenger for the second time in three practice sessions, demonstrating significant progress for the Grove-based team. Sergio Perez, the local hero and Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, secured the third-fastest time, hinting at Red Bull’s strong overall pace on home turf.
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The final hour of practice began under ideal conditions on Saturday, with clear blue skies overhead and ambient temperatures hovering in the low twenties, promising optimal grip and consistent track performance. As the green light signaled the start of FP3, teams were mindful of tire conservation, leading to a subdued opening few minutes with minimal track activity. This strategic approach is common in final practice sessions, as teams often save their allocated tire sets for critical qualifying simulation runs later on, aiming to optimize their one-lap pace for the intense battle ahead.
The silence was eventually broken by Valtteri Bottas, who ventured out first for Alfa Romeo, posting the initial benchmark lap of the day with a 1’20.740 on the hard compound tires. This early run provided crucial data on the circuit’s characteristics and how the more durable rubber would perform. Shortly after, the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz Jnr and Charles Leclerc hit the track, opting for the softer compound tires to gauge their ultimate pace. Sainz initially set a respectable 1’19.449, but this was swiftly eclipsed by his teammate Leclerc on his very first flying lap, indicating Ferrari’s immediate raw speed.
Mercedes, typically strong contenders, joined the fray approximately ten minutes into the session, also on the soft tires. George Russell immediately impressed, snatching the quickest time with a 1’18.644. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, was half a second adrift but still managed to position his Mercedes ahead of both Ferraris, suggesting the Silver Arrows had found a competitive rhythm on the high-altitude circuit. The early phase of the session saw a flurry of improvements as drivers accustomed themselves to the conditions and pushed the limits of their machinery, with the soft tires proving to be the fastest option.
However, the session was not without its minor dramas. Pierre Gasly briefly brought out the yellow flags after a spin at turn 12, marking his entry into the stadium complex. Fortunately, the Alpine driver managed to regain control and continue without significant damage, quickly rejoining the session. Not long after, George Russell also had a slight excursion through the high-speed sweepers in the middle sector, running wide onto the escape road at turn 10. These incidents, while minor, served as a reminder of the challenging nature of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, where high altitude affects aerodynamics and engine performance, making precision critical.
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Over 20 minutes into the session, the man to beat, Max Verstappen, finally made his appearance on track, immediately setting the tone for what was to come. On his first flying lap on soft tires, he slotted into second place, a mere tenth of a second behind Russell’s then-best time. After a brief cool-down lap to manage tire temperatures and gather his thoughts, Verstappen launched another assault, this time going quickest with a 1’18.429 – a significant two-tenths faster than Russell. This early burst of pace from the Dutchman hinted at the immense potential still residing within the Red Bull car, even before the track had fully rubbered in.
As the session entered its final 20 minutes, a natural lull descended upon the circuit. The majority of the field returned to the pits for crucial debriefs with their engineers, making final adjustments to their setups, and preparing for the all-important qualifying simulation runs. This period of quiet allows teams to digest the data gathered and strategize for the final push. However, the calm was abruptly broken. Esteban Ocon initially ran off track at the first corner, causing a brief yellow flag period. But the real surprise came when Alexander Albon, in his Williams, spectacularly jumped to the top of the timesheets, becoming the first driver all weekend to break the 1’18s barrier. His 1’17.957 was a stunning lap, demonstrating the significant strides Williams has made and Albon’s exceptional driving.
The last 15 minutes of FP3 were a frantic sprint, dedicated entirely to practicing for the upcoming qualifying session. Drivers pushed their cars to the absolute limit on fresh soft tires, mimicking qualifying conditions. Max Verstappen, undeterred by Albon’s earlier heroics, was among the first to complete a qualifying simulation. Despite complaining of traffic interference through the first two sectors, the Red Bull ace retook the fastest time by a razor-thin margin of 0.070 seconds over Albon with his 1’17.887. This final push solidified his position at the top. The Ferrari drivers, however, had less luck. Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr had their final, critical push laps compromised by traffic. Leclerc was held up by Kevin Magnussen’s Haas at turn ten, while Lance Stroll similarly impeded Sainz at the same corner, culminating in Sainz executing a frustrating 360-degree spin. These incidents highlighted the high stakes and close quarters of F1 practice, where a single moment of traffic can ruin a crucial lap.
As the checkered flag brought the session to a close, Max Verstappen was confirmed as the fastest driver for the third consecutive practice session, underlining his dominant performance throughout the weekend. Alexander Albon secured an impressive second place, repeating his strong showing from earlier sessions and cementing Williams’ unexpected pace. Sergio Perez improved to third, providing Red Bull with a strong contingent at the sharp end, though he was almost as far off Albon’s pace as Albon was from Verstappen’s. George Russell rounded out the top four, indicating Mercedes’ potential for a strong qualifying performance.
Oscar Piastri led the McLaren charge, finishing fifth, while Valtteri Bottas continued his consistent form, placing his Alfa Romeo impressively in sixth position. Yuki Tsunoda delivered a strong performance for AlphaTauri, taking seventh ahead of Lando Norris in eighth and Daniel Ricciardo in ninth, making it a double top-ten finish for the Red Bull sister team. Lewis Hamilton completed the top 10 in the second Mercedes, setting the stage for what promises to be an enthralling qualifying battle at the high-altitude Mexican circuit, with several teams showing flashes of competitive pace and the potential for upsets.
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2023 Mexican Grand Prix Third Practice Result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB19 | 1’17.887 | 19 | |
| 2 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’17.957 | 0.070 | 18 |
| 3 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB19 | 1’18.026 | 0.139 | 18 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W14 | 1’18.248 | 0.361 | 19 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’18.392 | 0.505 | 22 |
| 6 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’18.437 | 0.550 | 26 |
| 7 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | AT04 | 1’18.450 | 0.563 | 26 |
| 8 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’18.480 | 0.593 | 21 |
| 9 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | AT04 | 1’18.499 | 0.612 | 15 |
| 10 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W14 | 1’18.522 | 0.635 | 20 |
| 11 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’18.718 | 0.831 | 15 |
| 12 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’18.917 | 1.030 | 20 |
| 13 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’18.970 | 1.083 | 22 |
| 14 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’19.094 | 1.207 | 20 |
| 15 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’19.293 | 1.406 | 22 |
| 16 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’19.320 | 1.433 | 18 |
| 17 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’19.471 | 1.584 | 20 |
| 18 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’19.509 | 1.622 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’19.573 | 1.686 | 9 |
| 20 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’19.839 | 1.952 | 19 |
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2023 Mexican Grand Prix Combined Practice Times
| P. | # | Driver | Team | FP1 time | FP2 time | FP3 time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’19.718 | 1’18.686 | 1’17.887 | 74 | |
| 2 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | 1’19.813 | 1’19.446 | 1’17.957 | 0.070 | 72 |
| 3 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’20.015 | 1’18.988 | 1’18.026 | 0.139 | 75 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1’19.227 | 1’18.248 | 0.361 | 50 | |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’20.463 | 1’19.163 | 1’18.392 | 0.505 | 85 |
| 6 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’18.955 | 1’18.437 | 0.550 | 59 | |
| 7 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | 1’19.290 | 1’18.450 | 0.563 | 60 | |
| 8 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’20.237 | 1’18.805 | 1’18.480 | 0.593 | 82 |
| 9 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | 1’20.568 | 1’19.002 | 1’18.499 | 0.612 | 76 |
| 10 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’20.724 | 1’19.024 | 1’18.522 | 0.635 | 75 |
| 11 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | 1’21.157 | 1’19.900 | 1’18.718 | 0.831 | 71 |
| 12 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’21.129 | 1’19.415 | 1’18.917 | 1.030 | 74 |
| 13 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’20.297 | 1’18.952 | 1’18.970 | 1.065 | 85 |
| 14 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | 1’20.677 | 1’19.077 | 1’19.839 | 1.190 | 74 |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’20.687 | 1’20.075 | 1’19.094 | 1.207 | 63 |
| 16 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 1’20.479 | 1’19.257 | 1’19.293 | 1.370 | 79 |
| 17 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | 1’20.968 | 1’19.535 | 1’19.320 | 1.433 | 76 |
| 18 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’21.347 | 1’20.426 | 1’19.471 | 1.584 | 67 |
| 19 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | 1’19.642 | 1’19.509 | 1.622 | 47 | |
| 20 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1’20.112 | 1’19.573 | 1.686 | 39 | |
| 21 | 50 | Oliver Bearman | Haas-Ferrari | 1’21.313 | 3.426 | 31 | ||
| 22 | 41 | Isack Hadjar | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | 1’21.941 | 4.054 | 25 | ||
| 23 | 61 | Jack Doohan | Alpine-Renault | 1’22.109 | 4.222 | 25 | ||
| 24 | 42 | Frederik Vesti | Mercedes | 1’22.937 | 5.050 | 26 |
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