Mexican GP: Leclerc tops new-look opening practice

Charles Leclerc topped the opening practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix in an hour that sported an unusual look.

Leclerc headed Kimi Antonelli and Nico Hulkenberg on a dusty circuit that saw many of the big names missing.

Nine rookie drivers feature as Charles Leclerc tops opening practice

Nine of the 10 teams sported rookie drivers in the opening session, giving Free Practice 1 a unique look with only Sauber retaining its usual pairing.

The circuit was especially dusty as the entire 20-car field headed out in the opening moments of the hour, which went a long way to explaining why so many teams opted for a rookie driver – the improving track conditions across the weekend meant early running was comparatively less valuable.

A mix of approaches was in play, with most running hard tyres while others opted for the medium rubber.

The combination of track conditions and rookie drivers led to an unusual pecking order, with Isack Hadjar setting the early pace from Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, and Nico Hulkenberg.

Hadjar’s best was 1:20.128s after the opening 15 minutes, a time 0.367s faster than his stablemate from the senior Red Bull team.

There was a brief yellow flag for Paul Aron, in for Pierre Gasly at Alpine, for an apparent spin through the twisty middle sector of the lap.

Aron is thought to be a contender, if not the front-runner, for an Alpine race drive next season as he threw the A525 around the circuit – including a lurid slide through Turn 4.

At the halfway mark, Oscar Piastri added a degree of normality to the timesheets as the McLaren driver banked a 1:19.035s and Alex Albon slotted his Williams into second-quickest.

Track evolution was playing its part it remained dusty off line – plumes emerging behind cars as they pulled away from the racing line.

Piastri’s lap triggered a series of faster laps, with Leclerc briefly going fastest before the Australian improved on his own personal best to return to the top.

However, Kimi Antonelli and Nico Hulkenberg both found more time, the former fastest with a 1:18.487s.

The top end of the leaderboard contained most of the familiar names, with regular drivers occupying the top eight places – only Ocon and Franco Colapinto further down the order.

A mistake from Hadjar saw the Frenchman off the track approaching the stadium section, running into the run-off where he engaged reverse and rejoined the track, the incident covered under yellow flags.

Atop the standings, Leclerc switched his focus to race runs, despite having a set of red-walled soft tyres bolted on to his Ferrari.

Piastri had a slide as he negotiated the esses section. On his out lap with a soft tyre fitted, he picked up a snap of oversteer, sending him off the road as he opened the steering to maintain control.

He sat fourth fastest behind Leclerc, Antonelli, and Hulkenberg, a total of 0.404s off the outright pace.

That’s where he finished as the chequered flag waved, Leclerc remaining on top with no change in leading quartet.

Gabriel Bortoleto was fifth best ahead of Arvid Lindblad, who impressed to feature not only so highly in the standings, but that he was also a tenth quicker than Red Bull’s regular driver, Yuki Tsunoda.

Tsunoda was eighth best, Ocon sandwiched between them in seventh, the top 10 completed by Colapinto and Albon.

Hadjar and Fernando Alonso were 11th and 12th to complete the complement of regular drivers.

With the opening session in the books, normal service will return with the regular race drivers set to resume their seats ahead of Free Practice 2 later in the day.

Mexico City Grand Prix, Free Practice 1 results

1. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 1:18.380
2. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, 1:18.487
3. Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, 1:18.760
4. Oscar Piastri, McLaren, 1:18.784
5. Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber, 1:18.916
6. Arvid Lindblad, Red Bull, 1:18.997
7. Esteban Ocon, Haas, 1:19.038
8. Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull, 1:19.090
9. Franco Colapinto, Alpine, 1:19.331
10. Alex Albon, Williams, 1:19.384
11. Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, 1:19.409
12. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, 1:19.472
13. Pato O’Ward, McLaren, 1:19.680
14. Frederik Vesti, Mercedes, 1:19.689
15. Paul Aron, Alpine, 1:19.862
16. Ryo Hirakawa, Haas, 1:20.073
17. Ayumu Iwasa, Racing Bulls, 1:20.153
18. Luke Browning, Williams, 1:20.310
19. Jack Crawford, Aston Martin, 1:20.371
20. Antonio Fuoco, Ferrari, 1:20.854

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