Max Verstappen showcased his dominance in the second practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing ahead of his competitors while Oscar Piastri, the championship leader, faced difficulties, placing only 12th. Verstappen, who missed the first practice to allow rookie drivers to take the wheel, immediately found his rhythm and clocked a lap time 0.153 seconds faster than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The results reflect a continuing trend in the championship standings, where Verstappen has made significant gains. He currently trails Piastri by 40 points, with five races remaining in the season. Lando Norris, Verstappen’s closest rival in the standings, is just 14 points behind his McLaren teammate.
Key Performances and Team Dynamics
Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes overcame initial issues to secure third place, edging out Lando Norris, who finished 0.251 seconds behind Verstappen. The practice session highlighted the ongoing challenges for Piastri, who was the only title contender to participate in the first practice but still finished 0.840 seconds off the pace.
Red Bull Racing stands out as the only team to introduce performance upgrades this weekend, implementing a revised version of their Monza floor, which previously marked the beginning of Verstappen’s championship push. Yuki Tsunoda’s seventh-place finish further emphasized Red Bull’s strong showing, contrasting with his prior struggles to break into the top 10 during Friday practices earlier in the season.
Lewis Hamilton marked his best lap on the soft compound tires, finishing three tenths behind Verstappen’s leading time. George Russell, who briefly observed the first practice from the grandstands, secured sixth, while Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin finished eighth, with teammate Lance Stroll rounding out the top ten. Carlos Sainz continued his strong form, finishing ninth, while Alex Albon made headlines for being the only driver to make contact with the barriers, lightly brushing the outside wall at the final corner.
As the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend progresses, anticipation builds for the qualifying session set for October 25, 2025, at 22:00 local time. Fans can expect more thrilling action as the battle for the championship intensifies at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The weekend’s events will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with additional coverage available on various platforms, ensuring fans do not miss a moment of the excitement leading up to the race on October 26, 2025.
