Leclerc Tops Mexico FP2 as Hamilton's Ferrari Stops

Charles Leclerc topped FP2 at the Mexico City Grand Prix, carrying his FP1 form into the afternoon with a 1m17.827s to lead Lando Norris by 0.103s. Ferrari's day was split down the middle, though: Lewis Hamilton's car lost power along the main straight and stopped at the exit of Turn 3, ending his session after just 28 minutes.

Why it matters:

Leclerc's raw pace gives Ferrari a genuine one-lap platform at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, a track where confidence under braking and traction out of the stadium section decide the order. Hamilton's suspected power unit failure is the more pressing concern — losing an hour of high-fuel running hurts, and any component change would carry grid consequences.

The details:

• Leclerc's benchmark edged Norris, with George Russell just 0.003s adrift in third and Kimi Antonelli fourth for Mercedes.
• Max Verstappen managed only fifth, one place ahead of Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar.
• Arvid Lindblad put Racing Bulls seventh, followed by Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson and Oscar Piastri to complete the top ten.
• The session was red-flagged after 15 minutes when Verstappen and Lawson went wheel-to-wheel through the stadium section, triggering a shower of debris.
• Hamilton had briefly led on mediums before Leclerc and Norris traded the top spot, with a short Virtual Safety Car following his stoppage.
• Esteban Ocon's radio protest at being sent out on mediums — "don't do that to me" — captured a typically low-grip Friday, as teams switched to high-fuel work with 20 minutes left.

What's next:

Track evolution will matter more than usual on Saturday, with the soft-tyre order still tight at the front. Ferrari must diagnose Hamilton's issue overnight, while McLaren and Mercedes look evenly matched over a single lap — a promising sign for qualifying.