In the first practice session of the Mexican Grand Prix (GP de Mexico), Formula 1 drivers delivered unexpected results. Charles Leclerc set the fastest time, confidently topping the timesheets. The session stood out for the high number of young racers: out of twenty participants, nine were rookies.
Oscar Piastri, who leads the overall standings, was four tenths of a second slower than the leader. His performance again raised questions about his confidence in the car. With so many main drivers replaced by newcomers, it’s difficult to draw conclusions about the balance of power, but this is where the main sensation of the day took place.
Arvid Lindblad, representing Campos Racing in Formula 2 and a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, managed to outpace Yuki Tsunoda while driving Max Verstappenβs car. The gap between them was one tenth of a second. This result sparked discussions in the paddock: many believe that Verstappenβs car is significantly superior to his teammateβs, but Lindblad proved he can unlock the carβs full potential.
Yuki Tsunodaβs future is a hot topic behind the scenes. According to unofficial reports, he has already been informed that he will leave the team in 2026. Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls is tipped to take his seat. Such decisions at Red Bull are traditionally made by Helmut Marko, so this kind of reshuffling wouldnβt surprise observers.
After an impressive lap by Lindblad, Verstappen and team principal John Meekies exchanged brief remarks on the pit wall. The question about how much fuel Lindblad had in his car went unanswered, fueling even more intrigue around his performance.
Lindblad himself, only 18 years old, is currently trailing Pepe MartΓ in the Formula 2 standings, but has long been considered a contender for a Formula 1 seat. He is expected to become the main driver for Racing Bulls in 2026, and this weekend is seen as a key stage in his preparation for that debut.
Fernando Alonso, after strong Friday showings in Singapore and Austin, could not get close to the leaders this time. The Spaniard finished the session in twelfth place, while his temporary teammate Jake Crawford was nineteenth, almost a second slower.
Among the newcomers, Italian Antonio Fuoco posted the worst result, finishing lastβ2.4 seconds behind Leclerc. Driving Lewis Hamilton’s car, he was unable to deliver a competitive lap time.
Early in the session, French driver Isack Hadjar led on medium tyres, followed by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Tsunoda on hards, and Esteban Ocon. Piastri was seventh, also running hard compound tyres, which left his team far from optimistic.
Alonso gradually improved his position, climbing to tenth place, but the gap to Mercedes remained significant. Rookie Crawford was seventeenth, trailing the Spaniard by eight tenths of a second. With Carlos Sainz absent (replaced by Browning), Alexander Albon finished eighth, while the young Briton took eleventh, falling four tenths short of the main driver.
