GP Mexico, free practice 2 in the name of Verstappen. But Norris and Leclerc are close behind

Max Verstappen also unleashed in the second free practice of the Mexican GP. The Dutchman from Red Bull in 1’18”686 showed that he is the favorite for pole and the race of the fourth to last race of this 2023 World Championship. However, the world champion will have to earn the first spot on the grid because McLaren and Ferrari have shown to be there to annoy him, especially in qualifying. Lando Norris with the increasingly positive McLaren at the end of the season set the second fastest time, 1 tenth behind Verstappen, while Charles Leclerc with the Ferrari stopped 2 tenths behind the Dutchman.

well done bottas

—

Fourth time for the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas, also two tenths behind and ahead of the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez, highly acclaimed by his audience. Sixth Daniel Ricciardo with AlphaTauri, seventh Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes ahead of Esteban Ocon’s Alpine. Only ninth and tenth times for Oscar Piastri’s McLaren and George Russell’s Mercedes. Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari set the 11th fastest time. For him, a hydraulic mishap in the first session affected his day a bit. Things went even worse for Fernando Alonso, who spun and ended up last in the second session. Aston Martin with Stroll 18th today really disappointed and doesn’t seem to find himself.

so free 1

—

In free practice 1, the fastest was Verstappen ahead of Albon and Perez. The Dutchman on the soft tire preceded the Williams by 95 thousandths and his Mexican teammate by just under three tenths. Fourth time for Lando Norris ahead of Leclerc’s Ferrari. Then the other McLaren of Piastri and then the second red of Sainz, also held up by a hydraulic problem that appeared almost at the beginning of the session. The Mercedes were a little behind, with Hamilton only 11th while Russell gave way to Frederick Vesti, one of the many rookies who tested the F1s in this first session.

times

—

The times of the second free practice session of the Mexican GP: 1. Verstappen (Red Bull) 1’18″686 2. Norris (McLaren) 1’18″805 3. Leclerc (Ferrari) 1’18″952 4. Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 1’18″955 5. Perez (Red Bull) 1’18″988 6. Ricciardo (AlphaTauri) 1’19″002 7. Hamilton (Mercedes) 1’19″024 8. Ocon (Alpine) 1 ’19″077 9. Piastri (McLaren) 1’19″163 10. Russell (Mercedes) 1’19″227 11. Sainz (Ferrari) 1’19″257 12. Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) 1’19″290 13. Zhou (Alfa Romeo) 1’19″415 14. Albon (Williams) 1’19″446 15. Hulkenberg (Haas) 1’19″535 16. Gasly (Alpine) 1’19″642 17. Sargeant (Williams) 1 ’19″900 18. Stroll (Aston Martin) 1’20″075 19. Magnussen (Haas) 1’20″112 20. Alonso (Aston Martin) 1’20″426.