Formula 1 training in Mexico
Verstappen with the best time – pressure on Piastri increases
October 25, 2025 – 9:27 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Max Verstappen’s race to catch up is in full swing. The Dutchman has his eyes on his next world title and is putting McLaren under pressure.
Max Verstappen has sent a clear message in the fight for the world championship. In training for the Mexican Grand Prix on Friday, the Red Bull driver set the fastest lap of 1:17.392 minutes – and thus distanced himself from Oscar Piastri, among others, who was once again unable to impress in the McLaren. The World Championship leader only ended up in twelfth place.
Verstappen, who has won three times in the last four races and reduced his deficit in the drivers’ championship to 40 points, beat Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes with his only fast lap in the second training session. Lando Norris in the second McLaren took fourth place. Piastri made a braking mistake at the end of his fast lap and lost crucial time as a result. Nico Hülkenberg in the Sauber came sixteenth.
In the first free practice session, Leclerc set the best time with 1:18.380 minutes – albeit in difficult conditions on a heavily dirty track. The significance was correspondingly limited. In addition, many regular drivers were replaced by young drivers.
According to the regulations, all regular drivers have to give two training sessions to rookies over the course of the season. A total of nine teams with substitute drivers were at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Arvid Lindblad took over Verstappen’s Red Bull, Antonio Fuoco drove the Ferrari instead of Lewis Hamilton, and the Mexican Pato O’Ward stepped in for Norris at McLaren. George Russell was replaced by Fred Vesti – and took the opportunity to mingle with the fans at Foro Sol wearing a Lucha Libre mask. Sauber was the only team to rely on both regular drivers.
Lindblad, who is said to have a good chance of getting a cockpit with the Racing Bulls next year, caused a stir: the Brit took sixth place and was therefore the best rookie – ahead of Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda. This was a bitter disappointment for the Japanese, especially since his future in the premier class is still open.