Leclerc Leads Mexico FP1 as Mercedes Close In

Charles Leclerc set the pace in Free Practice 1 for the Mexico City Grand Prix, putting Ferrari at the top of the timesheets with a 1:18.128s. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli was his closest challenger, 0.659s adrift, while Frederik Vesti made it two Mercedes in the top three. Lewis Hamilton completed the top four in the second Ferrari.

Why it matters:

Mexico's high-altitude, low-grip circuit offers a unique test for the 2026 cars, and FP1 gave teams their first real read on cooling, balance and tyre behaviour. The order is not definitive, but Ferrari's early advantage will be noted after a season of tight margins.

The details:

• Leclerc completed 29 laps on his way to P1; Antonelli ran 30 laps and edged Vesti by just 0.074s.
• Ayumu Iwasa was fifth for Red Bull, 0.985s off the pace, ahead of Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.
• Oscar Piastri was eighth for McLaren, with Oliver Bearman ninth for Haas and Arvid Lindblad 10th for Racing Bulls.
• Further back, Carlos Sainz was 16th for Williams, Sergio Perez 18th for Cadillac and Colton Herta 22nd for Cadillac.
• The session featured a mix of regular drivers and stand-ins, making direct comparisons difficult.

What's next:

Teams will dig into long-run data before FP2, when the competitive picture should sharpen. Ferrari has the early edge, but Mercedes' proximity suggests the fight at the front could be close in Mexico.