Leclerc sweeps Mexico practice as Verstappen-Lawson clash disrupts FP2

Charles Leclerc completed a Friday practice sweep at the Mexican Grand Prix, leading FP2 with a 1:17.827 after topping FP1. Ferrari’s pace looked strong, but the session was disrupted by a bizarre Max Verstappen-Liam Lawson collision and Lewis Hamilton stopping his Ferrari.

Why it matters:

Leclerc’s pace gives Ferrari an early marker in Mexico City, where the team’s smaller turbo has been tipped as a potential advantage. But Friday also showed how quickly traffic, reliability and red flags can reshape a weekend.

The details:

• Verstappen and Lawson collided side-by-side through the stadium section, leaving debris and damaging Lawson’s front wing and Verstappen’s bargeboard.
• Hamilton parked his SF-26 after reporting, “We need to stop the car,” costing him valuable running.
• Lando Norris briefly went P1 before Leclerc responded; Norris ended about a tenth adrift, with Kimi Antonelli a further tenth back.
• McLaren had excursions at Turn 1, while Sergio Perez received a black-and-white flag for a pit-lane infringement.

What’s next:

Race simulations closed FP2, but Leclerc’s single-lap speed leaves Ferrari as the early reference. Verstappen’s damage and Hamilton’s lost time add uncertainty before qualifying.