Lando Norris Edges Out Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc in FP3 at Mexico City GP
Lando Norris narrowly topped Free Practice 3 in Mexico City, finishing just 0.001 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli. Charles Leclerc followed closely in third, setting the stage for an intriguing qualifying session.
In the final practice session ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, Lando Norris showcased his speed by clocking the fastest time, just a whisker ahead of Kimi Antonelli. The reigning World Champion's lap of 1m 17.600s at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was a mere 0.001 seconds quicker than Antonelli's best effort, with Charles Leclerc trailing a tenth further back.
The session kicked off at 1130 local time, and Ryo Hirakawa was quick off the mark. The Japanese driver, stepping in for Esteban Ocon at Haas, was eager to gather as much data and experience as possible ahead of his Formula 1 debut. Meanwhile, Gabriel Bortoleto encountered early troubles with his Audi, as smoke billowed from the car, forcing him back to the pits without setting a time.
Home favorite Sergio Perez also faced a setback, as Cadillac opted for a precautionary power unit change, preventing him from setting a lap time in this session.
Kimi Antonelli, eyeing his first drivers' title, initially set the pace with a time of 1m 18.754s on medium tires, before reducing that mark by another tenth. As the session progressed, times began to fall, with Lewis Hamilton posting a 1m 18.268s, only to be surpassed by his Ferrari teammate Leclerc, who managed a 1m 18.152s.
The final 20 minutes saw a switch to soft tires, with drivers focusing on one-lap performance. George Russell was the first to make the leap, setting a 1m 18.107s, though he remarked on the challenging Turn 12, "there is no rear end." Norris was the first to break the 1m 18s barrier with a time of 1m 17.873s, but Antonelli soon eclipsed this with a 1m 17.601s. Norris, however, found a fraction more speed to reclaim the top spot.
Leclerc faced a setback on his initial soft tire attempt due to a wide moment but improved to second place temporarily with a strong final sector.
As the session winded down, Norris's lap held firm at the top of the timesheets, just edging out Antonelli. Oscar Piastri placed fourth for McLaren, followed by Red Bull's Max Verstappen completing the top five. Hamilton, Russell, Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), and Racing Bulls duo Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top ten.
Further down the order, Nico Hulkenberg in the Audi secured 11th, ahead of Alpines Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Ollie Bearman (Haas) followed. The lineup was completed by Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, Lance Stroll from Aston Martin, Hirakawa, and Valtteri Bottas of Cadillac.