Verstappen Tops Mexico FP2 Ahead of Leclerc and Antonelli

Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing set the fastest lap in the second practice session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, outpacing Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli. This session saw a shake-up at the top, as championship rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of McLaren finished fourth and twelfth, respectively.

Why it matters:

This practice session offers a glimpse into the competitive order for the Mexico City Grand Prix, a crucial race in the championship fight. With Verstappen topping the charts and the McLaren duo facing challenges, the session hints at potential shifts in momentum, especially with the high-altitude conditions often throwing curveballs.

The details:

• Early Session Challenges: Kimi Antonelli initially faced an issue with his Mercedes but quickly recovered to post an early benchmark. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, who both ceded their cars to junior drivers in FP1, rejoined the session to quickly find their pace.
• Qualifying Simulations Begin: The switch to soft tyres marked the start of qualifying simulations. Charles Leclerc initially set the pace with a 1:17.545, but Verstappen, fresh off his US Grand Prix win, soon eclipsed him with a 1:17.392.
• McLaren's Mixed Fortunes: Lando Norris showed strong pace, eventually securing fourth, but complained of misfires earlier in the session. Oscar Piastri struggled more, finishing outside the top ten after a disappointing final sector on his soft tyre run.
• Antonelli's Strong Showing: Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli impressed by snatching third place with a lap of 1:17.566, just ahead of Norris.
• Tyre Strategy Focus: Following the qualifying simulations, teams shifted their focus to longer runs, evaluating the durability of the C5 (Soft) and C4 (Medium) compounds. Pirelli's compound selection (C2 Hard, C4 Medium, C5 Soft) has teams considering avoiding the C2 for Sunday's race.

The big picture:

The high altitude of the Mexico City circuit consistently presents unique challenges, influencing engine performance, aerodynamic efficiency, and tyre degradation. Teams are working hard to balance outright speed with reliability and tyre management, which will be critical for race day. Verstappen's strong showing indicates Red Bull's continued dominance, but the performance of Leclerc and Antonelli suggests Mercedes and Ferrari could be in the mix.

What's next:

The teams will analyze the extensive data from FP2 to fine-tune their setups for FP3 and, more critically, for qualifying. Tyre strategy will be a significant talking point, with many teams likely trying to avoid the C2 hard compound in favor of longer stints on the C4 medium. The qualifying session will be crucial in determining grid positions, which are particularly important on this track known for challenging overtakes.