The high-altitude challenge of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez sets a unique stage for the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix, demanding peak performance from both drivers and machinery. In an extended and eventful second practice session (FP2) on Friday, Carlos Sainz Jnr of Ferrari emerged as the pacesetter, clocking the fastest lap in a session primarily dedicated to crucial prototype tyre testing for the 2025 season. His impressive performance offered a glimpse into Ferrari’s potential competitiveness at this demanding circuit, known for its thin air and slippery surfaces.
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Sainz Shines While Verstappen Struggles
Sainz’s commanding performance saw him top the timingsheets with a 1’17.699, demonstrating strong pace and adaptability to the unique conditions of Mexico City. Close behind him was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who continued his impressive rookie season form by securing the second-fastest time. Their strong showings suggest that both Ferrari and McLaren could be formidable contenders as the weekend progresses, especially given the varying car performances seen at high altitude.
However, the session was not without its drama, particularly for championship leader Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver faced persistent power unit issues that had initially surfaced in the first practice session. Despite repeated attempts to get on track, disturbing noises from his car’s power unit ultimately forced him into an early retirement from the session, leaving him unable to set a representative lap time. This rare setback for Verstappen and Red Bull will undoubtedly raise concerns within the team, as FP2 is typically a critical session for fine-tuning the car’s setup and gathering long-run data ahead of qualifying and the race.
An Extended Session with a Critical Mission: 2025 Pirelli Tyre Testing
Friday’s second practice was highly unusual, extending beyond the standard 60 minutes to a full 90-minute duration. This extension was solely dedicated to Pirelli’s extensive testing programme for its 2025 prototype tyre compounds. With the new regulations always on the horizon, collecting robust and reliable data on future tyre specifications is paramount for the sole tyre supplier in Formula 1. Teams were given specific and rigid run plans, with different drivers allocated various prototype compounds to ensure a comprehensive spread of data collection across the entire field. This meant that traditional race preparation was somewhat compromised, as teams focused on Pirelli’s agenda rather than their own ideal setup programmes.
The high altitude of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez presents a unique challenge for tyre testing. The thinner air reduces aerodynamic downforce, making cars slide more and putting additional stress on the tyres. This makes the Mexican Grand Prix a particularly valuable venue for Pirelli to evaluate the durability, grip, and thermal degradation characteristics of their future compounds under extreme conditions. Understanding how these prototype tyres behave in such an environment is crucial for developing robust and versatile tyres for the upcoming seasons, ensuring they can perform across diverse circuit layouts and climates.
Adding another layer of complexity, five regular drivers – Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso, and Zhou Guanyu – had handed their cars over to junior drivers during the first practice session. This meant FP2 was their first opportunity to experience the circuit firsthand in their respective cars, further complicating the balance between personal track acclimatisation and executing Pirelli’s detailed testing protocols.
Early Incidents and Red Flag Interruptions
The session did not begin smoothly for everyone. Following a minor clash between Alexander Albon and Oliver Bearman in FP1, both Albon and Charles Leclerc experienced delays in starting their FP2 runs as their teams continued repairs. Albon, unfortunately, never made it out onto the track during the session due to the ongoing work on his Williams, a significant blow to his weekend preparation.
Early in the session, after Sainz had established an initial benchmark of 1’17.809, an incident brought proceedings to a halt. Just over ten minutes into the run, George Russell of Mercedes pushed too hard through the challenging Turn 8, a high-speed right-hander, losing control and spinning into the TecPro barrier. The impact caused significant damage to his Mercedes W15, leading to an immediate red flag. Russell was able to exit his car unassisted and was taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks, from which he was later cleared and released. The ensuing barrier repairs led to a delay of over 20 minutes, eating into valuable track time for all competitors and further disrupting the intricate tyre testing schedule.
Resumption, Improvements, and the Final Push
Once the session resumed, drivers returned to their prescribed run plans, focusing on accumulating data for Pirelli. Sainz continued his strong form, further improving his best time to a 1’17.669. Piastri also found more pace, solidifying his position in second. For the five drivers who had missed FP1, the final minutes of the session provided a small window of opportunity to run on a set of medium tyres from their allocated weekend sets. This brief stint allowed them to gather some personal data and acclimatise to the car and track conditions before the crucial Saturday sessions. Despite this late flurry of activity, Carlos Sainz Jr.’s earlier lap remained unchallenged, cementing his position at the top.
The varied nature of the tyre compounds tested throughout the session led to some intriguing results. Yuki Tsunoda delivered a standout performance, finishing third fastest for RB-Honda RBPT. What made his lap particularly notable was that it was set on a prototype 2026 C6 compound, highlighting the potential of future tyre developments and his ability to extract performance from unfamiliar rubber. Leclerc and Lando Norris rounded out the top five, with Kevin Magnussen, Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, and local hero Sergio Perez also featuring in the top nine. Liam Lawson completed the top ten, just ahead of Fernando Alonso.
The unique circumstances of this FP2 session, particularly the extensive tyre testing and the significant incidents, mean that the final timingsheets may not be a true indicator of outright pace for Saturday qualifying and Sunday’s race. However, the consistent speed shown by Carlos Sainz Jr. and Oscar Piastri is certainly encouraging for their respective teams, while Max Verstappen’s technical woes present an unexpected challenge for Red Bull as they head into the rest of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.
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2024 Mexican Grand Prix Second Practice Result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’17.699 | |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’17.877 | 0.178 |
| 3 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB-Honda RBPT | 01 | 1’17.878 | 0.179 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’17.887 | 0.188 |
| 5 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’17.948 | 0.249 |
| 6 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-24 | 1’18.239 | 0.540 |
| 7 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W15 | 1’18.279 | 0.580 |
| 8 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber-Ferrari | C44 | 1’18.351 | 0.652 |
| 9 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB20 | 1’18.392 | 0.693 |
| 10 | 30 | Liam Lawson | RB-Honda RBPT | 01 | 1’18.560 | 0.861 |
| 11 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’18.579 | 0.880 |
| 12 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-24 | 1’18.621 | 0.922 |
| 13 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A524 | 1’18.656 | 0.957 |
| 14 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’18.890 | 1.191 |
| 15 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | 1’18.908 | 1.209 |
| 16 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A524 | 1’18.942 | 1.243 |
| 17 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber-Ferrari | C44 | 1’18.980 | 1.281 |
| 18 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W15 | 1’19.041 | 1.342 |
| 19 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB20 | No time | |
| 20 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | No time |
2024 Mexican Grand Prix
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