F1 set for Mexican GP schedule change with F1 2025 new experiment planned

With F1 reverting back to its usual format for Mexico this weekend, Friday’s schedule has been altered to allow for F1 2025 preparations.

With several of the final races of this year using the Sprint format, this weekend’s Grand Prix in Mexico City uses the standard format but will still see an alteration to the schedule as preparations for F1 2025 ramp up.

Second practice in Mexico City extended to 90 minutes

This weekend’s race takes place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, with the teams set to use the C3, C4, and C5 compounds as Pirelli is bringing a step softer compounds for this year’s race.

But, with an eye looking ahead to F1 2025, the opening day of practice will see the teams set loose on the Autodromo for a longer 90-minute second practice session, with FP2 being dedicated to validating the new soft compounds in Pirelli’s range.

These will be the C4, C5, and C6 compounds, which will be utilised throughout the “in-competition test”.

This sees the practice session become a dedicated test with all the drivers required to follow a specific programme outlined by Pirelli engineers, rather than the teams.

Aside from the usual tyre allocation of 12 sets for the Grand Prix weekend, each driver will be given two additional sets of tyres – one an additional compound from the existing range as a baseline reference, and another being from the F1 2025 prototype range – differing in construction and compound from its 2024 counterpart.

These two sets will be identifiable as they will run without the usual sidewall markings.

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Pirelli has confirmed the programme will consist of a performance run and a long run, and every team will run the same number of laps with equal levels of fuel onboard.

However, an added complication is that several teams are running with junior drivers in FP1 in order to conform with the FIA’s requirement that each team hands over two sessions throughout the year to a rookie.

With Mexico being one of the final opportunities of the year, several teams are doing so and, as a result, the regular race drivers climbing back into their cars for the FP2 test will be allowed to break away from Pirelli testing after 60 minutes in order to resume their usual data gathering. These drivers will be given an additional set of medium compound tyres for this 30-minute portion.

Following on from the day’s action, Pirelli will verify its data in order to fine-tune the F1 2025 tyre range ahead of the big group test in Abu Dhabi following the final race of the year.

In FP1, several teams are already confirmed as handing over a car to a junior driver – Felipe Drugovich will drive Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, Ollie Bearman will be behind the wheel of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, Robert Shwartzman drives Zhou Gunayu’s Sauber, and IndyCar star and local hero Patricio O’Ward will drive for McLaren.

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