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Mexico GP: Verstappen stays on top in FP2 from Norris, Leclerc

F1, Mexico GP

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 27: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB18 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 27, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310280056 // Usage for editorial use only //

Max Verstappen set the pace in FP2 of F1 Mexico GP as well as Lando Norris slotted in second from Charles Leclerc.

It was a smooth running in FP2 of F1 Mexico GP where Red Bull’s Max Verstappen continued to set the pace with a 1m18.686s lap ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to make it three different teams in the Top 3.

In fact, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas made it four different teams in fourth after the Finn returned to drive having given up the car to Theo Pourchaire. The problems faced by the Frenchman was solved in between the sessions with the car on pace in FP2.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was fifth after his initial soft run was hampered by double yellow flag and he had to do a couple of cool down laps. He led AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo, who did well in sixth from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.

The Brit made it inside the Top 10 but still had to fight the car with teammate George Russell in 10th behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. There were several drivers using the kerbs heavily at certain section of the track and having some moments too.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was 11th and outside the Top 10 with AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda in 12th from Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu, Williams’ Alexander Albon, Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly – as the Top 16 ended up within a second of Verstappen’s time.

Williams’ Logan Sargeant was 17th from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll who didn’t get a proper soft tyre run to have his best time on the medium compound. He lost time after the team had to use hammer to get the front left tyre off the Canadian’s car which got stuck.

His teammate Fernando Alonso was 20th on the medium compound behind Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, as the Spaniard’s soft tyre run was ruined due to half spin. The start of the session saw light drizzle and the end of it too saw light rain falling.

Here’s how FP1 of F1 Mexico GP panned out