Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has set the fastest time in the first free practice for the GP of Mexico City. Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez were third and fourth fastest, behind Charles Leclerc.
The first free practice in Mexico was more important than on other weekends. The circuit in Mexico City is more than 2,000 meters above sea level and that has consequences for the cars. The engines struggle with the lack of oxygen. Good training is therefore necessary.
The second practice session, however, is dominated by a new Pirelli tire test. Last week in Austin it turned out that that did not make the training more interesting or useful. So a lot of work had to be done in the first training.
By the way, a number of other faces drove along in Mexico City. Jack Doohan was there for Alpine, Liam Lawson for AlphaTauri and Logan Sargeant for Williams.
Nyck de Vries (next year’s AlphaTauri driver) also drove his laps on the circuit of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. He did that in George Russell’s Mercedes. De Vries was given the task of trying everything and therefore only set the eighteenth time,
Weekend of ‘Checo’
The spotlight will be on Pérez for the next three days. The Mexican is incredibly popular in its own country. That could also be heard and seen when he drove onto the track at 9 p.m. and started his training.
Pérez, nicknamed Checo, is aiming for the home win this weekend. He would thus take over the second place in the World Cup standings. In the first practice session, Pérez did not make a splashing impression.
The home crowd yearns for a victory from their racing hero. Earlier this week, he experienced how great the expectations and the involvement of Mexican fans are. “I did a Formula 1 show this week in Guadalajara, where I was born and grew up. Tens of thousands of fans came to watch: great. The memory of that kind of days stays with me forever. It’s all even bigger than before.”
Fire in AlphaTauri car
Sainz and Leclerc dominated the training. Verstappen was just working on a promising lap after half an hour, when he suddenly flew off the track. The world champion had no grip and spun out of the corner. There was no visible damage.
There was damage to other drivers. Lawson’s car even caught fire: due to the heat in Mexico City, the car barely cools and a small defect can cause a fire.
The fire in Lawson’s AlphaTauri – who himself was unharmed – brought the training to a premature end. An attempt for the Red Bulls to attack the times of Sainz and Leclerc therefore failed. The second practice session starts at 11 PM Dutch time.
Verstappen’s record
Max Verstappen is one GP victory away from a record in Formula 1. Never has a driver won more than thirteen races in one season: Verstappen is now on thirteen victories and Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel were stuck in their best year.
Vettel has already somewhat resigned himself to Verstappen’s fourteenth GP victory this season. “He has a great team and a great car. He has an excellent chance of a GP victory this weekend and beyond.”
Although the Dutchman has already won the World and Constructors’ Championship, Vettel expects an eager Verstappen in Mexico. “When I was in his situation as a brand new champion, I just went full for another victory.”
