Leclerc Sweeps Friday Practice in Mexico as Antonelli Closes In on Title

Charles Leclerc topped both of Friday's practice sessions at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, leading FP2 by 0.103s over Lando Norris with George Russell just 0.003s further back. Three teams — Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes — look tightly matched heading into Saturday's qualifying, where Kimi Antonelli can take a decisive step toward his first world championship.

Why it matters:

Antonelli leads the standings and sits on the verge of clinching the title, but his grid position on Saturday will determine whether he can finish the job on Sunday. With the top four covered by fractions of a second, one lap in Q3 could swing both the race and the championship.

The details:

• Leclerc's Friday sweep confirms Ferrari's single-lap pace, though the day was not spotless — Lewis Hamilton lost power and stopped mid-session in FP2.
• Antonelli ended the day fourth, ahead of Max Verstappen, leaving three teams separated by mere tenths.
• FP3 runs at 11:30am local, qualifying at 3:00pm. Expect dry, sunny conditions around 24-26C for FP3, with temperatures rising and a brief shower possible during qualifying.
• The 4.304km circuit sits more than 2,200 metres above sea level, where thin air puts unusual strain on cooling, aerodynamics and power units.

What's next:

Sunday's race is forecast sunny and dry. If Leclerc converts his pace into pole, Ferrari's fight becomes one with McLaren and Mercedes — but the focus stays on Antonelli, who needs a clean Saturday to set up a title-deciding Sunday.