Leclerc Tops Mexico City FP1 Amidst Rookie Showcase; Antonelli and Hulkenberg Follow

Charles Leclerc led the first free practice session at the Mexico City Grand Prix, clocking a 1:18.380. Kimi Antonelli and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top three in a session that featured nine rookies filling in for regular drivers. Oscar Piastri, despite a late slide in his McLaren, finished fourth.

Why it matters:

This session was a crucial opportunity for teams to fulfill the F1 regulations requiring rookie drivers to participate in four FP1 sessions per season (two per car). It also provided a glimpse into the potential talent pool for future F1 seats, with several young drivers making their mark.

The Details:

• Leclerc's Pace: Charles Leclerc's 1:18.380 lap time set the benchmark for the session, showcasing Ferrari's early pace at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
• Rookie Debuts: A significant nine rookies participated, highlighting the F1 rule that mandates four FP1 sessions for junior drivers across the season.
• Antonelli and Hulkenberg Impress: Kimi Antonelli, a highly-rated Mercedes junior, secured second place, followed by Nico Hulkenberg in third. Their strong showings suggest good adaptability to the challenging Mexico City circuit.
• Piastri's Performance: Oscar Piastri, a regular front-runner, managed fourth quickest despite a minor slide, underscoring McLaren's consistent competitiveness.
• Lindblad Shines: Arvid Lindblad, driving Max Verstappen's Red Bull, was the fastest of the rookie contingent, finishing an impressive sixth. He even outpaced Yuki Tsunoda in the other RB21.
  • Lindblad's strong showing puts him in contention for a Racing Bulls seat in 2026, alongside Tsunoda and Liam Lawson, who sat out for Ayumu Iwasa in the VCARB 02.
• Quiet Session: The overall session was relatively quiet, with technical issues affecting the F1 broadcast, which may explain any missing data from the full results.

What's next:

The performance of these rookies will be closely monitored as teams evaluate their future driver lineups. For the established drivers, the focus now shifts to FP2 and FP3 to fine-tune setups and prepare for qualifying, where track evolution and tire management will be critical. Teams will be analyzing the data from this session, especially concerning tire degradation and engine performance at high altitude, to optimize their strategies for the rest of the weekend.