Mexican GP: Oscar Piastri tops the times in McLaren FP3 one-two

Sam Cooper
Oscar Piastri driving in Mexico.

Oscar Piastri qualified fifth last time out in Austin.

McLaren were the team on top in Mexico with Oscar Piastri setting the quickest FP3 time before the all-important qualifying session.

Having finished P6 and P2 in Friday’s sessions, the Australian moved to the top of the standings with a time of 1:16.492, 0.059 seconds ahead of team-mate Lando Norris.

Oscar Piastri quickest in final Mexican GP practice session

With the teams taking part in an Pirelli-controlled FP2, the final session was a chance to get back to their own run plans and after Ferrari topped the times at the halfway stage, it was McLaren who ultimately proved to be the quickest.

It will be welcome news for Zak Brown and co. who already this weekend have seen their right of review submission to the stewards rejected.

The timings set up what looks to be an intriguing battle for pole with Carlos Sainz making it three podium finishes from the practice sessions while Charles Leclerc was in sixth.

Unsurprisingly, George Russell was the first man out on track as the Briton looked to make up for lost time following his heavy crash in FP2. Overnight, Mercedes used their second of two permitted curfew breaks in order to get Russell’s car ready for the day’s running.

Russell’s time of 1:17.341 put him eighth while Lewis Hamilton’s troubles with the car seemed to have subsided somewhat as he went fifth fastest.

Mercedes were not the only ones to break curfew as Red Bull sought to solve the engine issues that plagued Max Verstappen on Friday. Unable to produce a quick fix, the team opted to fit a different engine into the number one car for the rest of the Mexican GP weekend.

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With the new engine in situ, Verstappen set the fourth fastest time at 1:17.003 while home favourite Sergio Perez was in 13th.

The first moment of drama in the session came at the hands of Liam Lawson who took too much kerb in the penultimate corner and spun out. Thankfully for the newest F1 driver, he avoided contact with the barriers and was able to turn himself round and carry on with his run plan.

FP3 results in full

1 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:16.492
2 Lando Norris McLaren +0.059
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari +0.340
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.511
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.568
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.740
7 Yuki Tsunoda RB +0.810
8 George Russell Mercedes +0.849
9 Kevin Magnussen Haas F1 Team +0.982
10 Liam Lawson RB +1.002
11 Alexander Albon Williams +1.019
12 Valtteri Bottas Kick Sauber +1.147
13 Franco Colapinto Williams+1.220
14 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.295
15 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.306
16 Nico Hulkenberg Haas F1 Team +1.327
17 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.408
18 Esteban Ocon Alpine +1.832
19 Zhou Guanyu Kick Sauber +1.936
20 Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.962