Lando Norris set the fastest time in the third and final free practice session of the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix. At the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the McLaren driver posted a 1:17.600, edging Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli by an astonishing 0.001 seconds.
The session proved extremely competitive, with the narrow margins between the leading drivers highlighting how closely matched the front-running teams are heading into qualifying.
Charles Leclerc secured third place for Ferrari, confirming the Italian team’s strong pace after topping both Friday practice sessions. Oscar Piastri finished fourth in the second McLaren, ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in fifth.
Ferrari Sets the Early Pace Before McLaren and Mercedes Respond
The opening stages of FP3 featured limited running, with several drivers looking to recover valuable track time following interruptions during the previous sessions.
Nico Hülkenberg established the first significant benchmark with a 1:20.572 before Pierre Gasly and Arvid Lindblad began improving the lap times.
As the session progressed, the leading contenders joined the action. Antonelli and George Russell brought Mercedes into the 1:18s, while Leclerc demonstrated Ferrari’s competitiveness with an early 1:18.720.
The Monegasque subsequently improved his time, engaging in a close battle with teammate Lewis Hamilton. The two Ferrari drivers exchanged positions at the top of the timesheets, with Hamilton briefly moving ahead by just 0.023 seconds.
Leclerc responded with a 1:18.152, keeping Ferrari at the front before the final runs on the softer tyre compound.
Norris Takes Control as Antonelli Falls Just Short
The closing stages of FP3 dramatically reshuffled the order.
Norris extracted the maximum performance from his McLaren, delivering an impressive 1:17.600 to claim the fastest lap of the session.
Antonelli responded with an almost identical effort but fell short by the smallest possible margin on the timing screens: just one thousandth of a second.
It was another encouraging performance from the young Italian Mercedes driver, who heads into the weekend with the Formula 1 World Championship firmly within reach.
Leclerc completed the top three, confirming the competitiveness of Ferrari’s SF-26, while Piastri and Verstappen rounded out the top five.
The result suggests that McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari could all be serious contenders for pole position, setting up an unpredictable qualifying session in Mexico City.
Technical Problems for Bortoleto and Perez, Hirakawa Finishes 19th
While the leading teams focused on outright performance, several drivers encountered technical difficulties.
Gabriel Bortoleto completed just two laps before a mechanical issue brought his Audi to a halt. It was another setback for the German manufacturer, which had already experienced reliability concerns during the earlier practice sessions.
Sergio Perez also endured a frustrating session on home soil. Cadillac opted for a precautionary power unit replacement on the Mexican driver’s car, restricting him to just one lap.
Meanwhile, Ryo Hirakawa, replacing Esteban Ocon at Haas, finished 19th. The Japanese driver ended the session almost six tenths behind teammate Oliver Bearman, who placed 15th.
Qualifying Battle Wide Open as Antonelli Targets Another Strong Result
The final practice session leaves plenty of uncertainty heading into qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Norris demonstrated that McLaren has the pace to challenge Ferrari, while Antonelli once again established himself among the leading contenders.
For the young Italian, who is closing in on his maiden Formula 1 World Championship, the result provides another positive indication of Mercedes’ competitiveness.
Ferrari also remains firmly in contention, with Leclerc showing consistent speed throughout the weekend.
With just thousandths of a second separating the fastest drivers, the battle for pole position promises to be one of the closest of the season.