Mexico City Grand Prix 2026: Practice Sessions Highlight Ferrari Pace and Red Bull Struggles

The second free‑practice session at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix delivered a clear signal of the early‑season hierarchy. According to a practice report published by McLaren, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc posted the fastest lap of the day, clocking a 1:16.842 on medium tyres, edging out his teammate Carlos Sainz by just 0.12 seconds. The Italian team’s strong performance was echoed by RacingNews365, which listed Leclerc on top of the Free Practice 2 (FP2) results table, followed closely by Sainz and then Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Red Bull’s tyre woes and Mercedes’ midfield battle

Verstappen, who qualified on pole for the 2025 season in Mexico, struggled to find a consistent rhythm in FP2. The Dutchman’s best time of 1:17.310 placed him fourth overall, a full half‑second off the Ferrari duo. McLaren’s report noted that Red Bull appeared to be grappling with excessive tyre degradation on the high‑altitude circuit, forcing Verstappen to run short stints on the softer compound. Meanwhile, Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell posted respectable mid‑field times, with Hamilton’s 1:17.845 securing fifth place and Russell just behind in sixth.

Mid‑field teams also showed promise. McLaren’s own Lando Norris managed a solid seventh‑place lap of 1:18.012, while Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly occupied eighth and ninth respectively. The practice data suggests a tightly contested race, especially given the track’s reputation for producing dramatic overtakes and variable grip levels due to the city’s elevation of 2,240 metres.

For Indian fans – timings and where to watch

The Mexico City Grand Prix weekend runs from 12‑14 November 2026. FP2 took place on Saturday at 13:30 GMT, which translates to 19:00 IST. The race itself is scheduled for Sunday at 15:00 GMT (20:30 IST). Indian viewers can stream the live action on FanCode, which holds the official broadcast rights for the 2026 season. FanCode will also provide live timing, on‑track cameras and expert commentary in English and Hindi.

With Ferrari showing early speed and Red Bull dealing with tyre management, the Mexican weekend promises a compelling showdown. Teams will likely head into qualifying with a clear focus on tyre strategy, and the high‑altitude conditions could shuffle the order once more. Indian fans should keep an eye on the evolving storylines, especially as the championship battle tightens heading into the final races of the year.

Source: McLaren