Norris Claims Mexico GP Final Practice by Hairline Margin Over Antonelli

Lando Norris, the reigning Formula 1 world champion, narrowly secured the top spot in the third and final practice session for the Mexico Grand Prix, besting championship leader Kimi Antonelli by an infinitesimal 0.001 seconds. The fiercely contested session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez underscored the tight competition among the sport’s leading contenders heading into Saturday’s crucial qualifying, with high-altitude conditions adding an extra layer of complexity and challenge.

The 60-minute session began under clear skies, with teams and drivers focused on fine-tuning their setups for the unique demands of the Mexican circuit. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, situated over 2,200 metres (7,200 feet) above sea level, presents a significant engineering puzzle. The thin air reduces aerodynamic downforce, making cars feel lighter and more prone to sliding, while simultaneously straining power units, often leading to overheating and reliability concerns. These factors were evident throughout the session, with several midfield teams reporting power unit issues.

An unusual narrative unfolded at Haas, where Japanese driver Ryo Hirakawa, a Toyota-backed endurance racer, occupied Esteban Ocon’s seat for the entirety of FP3. Hirakawa, who had previously participated in FP1, was unexpectedly confirmed as Ocon’s substitute for the remainder of the Mexico weekend. The decision to bench Ocon, a seasoned Grand Prix driver, remains officially shrouded in some mystery, though initial reports suggested a heated exchange between the Frenchman and his race engineer during Friday’s FP2 session may have contributed to the team’s drastic action. This unexpected driver change put Hirakawa, a 32-year-old debutant in a competitive F1 session, under considerable pressure to adapt quickly to the challenging conditions of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. He spent the early part of the session methodically building confidence, navigating the slippery, high-altitude track.

As Hirakawa found his rhythm, the focus shifted to the frontrunners. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc engaged in an early tussle for supremacy during the opening stages, both drivers running on the medium-compound Pirelli tyres. Their initial runs demonstrated the strong underlying pace of both Mercedes and Ferrari on this circuit, a trend observed through Friday’s sessions.

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Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who had missed valuable track time in FP2 due to engine trouble, quickly made his presence felt just before the halfway mark. He posted an impressive 1m18.268s, signaling a strong recovery for the British driver and his team. Ferrari, having expressed satisfaction with their initial setup direction on Friday, continued to show promising form. Leclerc soon bettered his teammate’s time, only for Hamilton to reclaim the top spot with a 1m18.162s lap. This sequence of medium-tyre runs saw Hamilton leading Leclerc and Antonelli, with Red Bull and McLaren appearing a clear step behind at this juncture of the session. The relative pace on mediums suggested a close battle for pole position and race strategy could emerge from these three teams.

As the session progressed into its final phase, teams switched to the softer, faster Pirelli tyres for their qualifying simulation runs. Reigning world champion Lando Norris, piloting his McLaren, was among the first to bolt on a fresh set of softs, immediately leaping to the top of the timesheets with a 1m17.873s. He was closely followed by his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, demonstrating the Woking squad’s significant improvement in pace on the softer compound. George Russell, in the second Mercedes, also showed strong pace initially but voiced frustration over a perceived lack of grip through the challenging Turn 12 right-hander, a crucial corner that leads into the iconic Foro Sol stadium section.

The intensity peaked in the dying minutes. Charles Leclerc, pushing hard, had an untidy moment through the Esses, forcing him to back out of a potentially faster lap. This opened the door for Antonelli, who then unleashed a blistering 1m17.601s lap to seize provisional pole. However, his impressive run was not without incident. Antonelli vocally expressed his frustration over the team radio, alleging that Max Verstappen had impeded him at Turn 1, a complaint that could potentially draw the attention of the stewards post-session. Despite his strong lap, Antonelli then went purple in sector one on his subsequent flyer but ultimately failed to improve his overall time, leaving a sliver of opportunity for his rivals.

It was Lando Norris who capitalized on this opening. In a dramatic final push, the McLaren driver produced a sensational lap, dipping just 0.001 seconds under Antonelli’s benchmark. This microscopic margin underscored the exceptional competitiveness of both drivers and their machinery, sending Norris into qualifying with the fastest time of the entire weekend thus far. His final effort, a testament to both driver skill and car setup, sets the stage for a thrilling battle for pole position.

Leclerc, despite his earlier moment, managed to find a late improvement, particularly in a rapid first sector, but remained in third place, 0.117s behind Norris. Piastri secured fourth, closely mirroring his teammate’s strong performance. Max Verstappen, a perennial frontrunner, finished fifth, 0.351s adrift. The Red Bull driver reported struggling significantly with his brakes throughout the session, an issue that could prove critical in qualifying and the race on a circuit known for its heavy braking zones. This tight grouping of Norris, Antonelli, Leclerc, Piastri, and Verstappen further solidified the notion of a fiercely contested "four top teams" battle, a phrase increasingly used to describe the current competitive landscape in Formula 1, with implications potentially extending into the regulatory changes anticipated for 2026.

Lewis Hamilton, despite his earlier strong showing on mediums, struggled to extract the ultimate pace from his soft tyres, an untidy third sector leaving him over four tenths behind Norris in sixth. Russell followed in seventh. Hadjar, driving for Red Bull, encountered significant difficulties, lamenting over team radio, "the worst car I’ve driven this weekend, it’s terrible," highlighting the challenges of the high-altitude circuit and potentially a less-than-ideal car setup.

The Racing Bulls team continued to impress, positioning themselves as strong contenders for the "best of the rest" title. Liam Lawson pipped his rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad for ninth place, rounding out the top 10. Their consistent performance suggests a strong package for the midfield battle in Mexico.

At the tail end of the field, Hirakawa completed his session in 19th position, just ahead of Valtteri Bottas in the Cadillac. The session also saw significant reliability concerns for two other drivers. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto failed to set a lap time after encountering a power unit issue on his out-lap, with a visible puff of smoke emanating from an ill-sounding engine. Compounding the mechanical woes, home hero Sergio Perez, driving for Red Bull, also failed to register a lap time. Cadillac later announced that a "precautionary engine change" would be performed on Perez’s car ahead of qualifying, a significant setback for the Mexican driver hoping to perform strongly in front of his home crowd. These reliability issues could have profound consequences for the grid positions in qualifying and the potential for grid penalties in the race.

The final practice session at the Mexico Grand Prix provided a tantalizing glimpse into the intense competition awaiting qualifying. Norris’s razor-thin advantage over Antonelli, coupled with the varied fortunes of other key contenders, promises a captivating fight for pole position on Saturday afternoon. The high-altitude conditions, as evidenced by the numerous power unit issues and braking struggles, will undoubtedly continue to play a critical role in the unfolding drama of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.

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Jonas Leo: Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.