Leclerc leads Mexico GP practice as Antonelli eyes title on Sunday

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the pace in practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Friday, topping both sessions for the second race weekend in a row, The Express Tribune reported, citing AFP. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, who leads the championship by a wide margin, can win the title on Sunday.

Leclerc fastest

Leclerc’s best lap, 1 minute 17.827 seconds in the second session, put him 0.103 seconds ahead of McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris. Mercedes’ George Russell was third, ahead of his team-mate Antonelli, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fifth, ahead of team-mate Isack Hadjar. Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad was seventh, followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was 11th for Ferrari after a power failure ended his running midway through.

The session was held on a low-grip track, with Ferrari on mediums, Verstappen on softs and others on hards. A red flag after 15 minutes cleared debris from the Foro Sol section. Cadillac’s Sergio Perez, the home favourite, is set for his 300th race start, the seventh driver to reach that mark; he was cautioned in practice for a pit lane infringement.

What Antonelli needs

Antonelli, who was absent on Thursday to recover from a virus, can become the sport’s youngest champion on Sunday, and Italy’s first since 1963, if he finishes in the top nine. He can also take the title if his two remaining rivals, Russell and Hamilton, both fail to win the race. The Tribune’s report does not give the points standings, and we have not independently confirmed the arithmetic.

Verstappen and Lawson penalised

The red flag came after Verstappen clashed with his stable-mate Lawson, who races for Racing Bulls, the sister team of Red Bull, in a fight for track position going into the Foro Sol section. Verstappen’s bargeboard was damaged. The stewards called both drivers’ behaviour “unacceptable” and gave each a one-place grid penalty for the race.

Verstappen, a five-time winner in Mexico, a record, called Lawson’s move “not very smart”. “It was not unlucky. It was not very smart behaviour by him in what he was trying to do there. But it is not going to change my weekend,” he said. He added that it was “not very smart behaviour when you are fighting for your seat”, a reference to Lawson’s remark this week that he does not know whether he will keep his place at Racing Bulls next season. Racing Bulls may promote the Red Bull junior driver Nikola Tsolov, who on Friday became the first Bulgarian to take part in an official practice session at a grand prix. Lawson said he believed he had “maximised a lot this year” and was not thinking too much about seat decisions.

Why it matters

Practice times are not race results, and teams run different fuel loads and tyres, so Sunday’s order may look different. Leclerc has now topped practice at two race weekends in a row, which makes Ferrari a threat for the race. The title is the main story: if Antonelli finishes in the top nine, he becomes F1’s youngest champion at 20 and Italy’s first since 1963. The Verstappen and Lawson penalties are small, but they show the pressure on both drivers, one defending his reputation and the other fighting for his seat. What to watch is qualifying on Saturday, the effect of the Verstappen and Lawson penalties on the order, and Antonelli’s start.

This article draws on reporting by The Express Tribune and AFP.