Max Verstappen set the pace at the end of the second free practice session for the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc chasing as Kimi Antonelli was third.
Despite missing out on FP1, Verstappen was immediately up to speed in FP2, apparently enjoying the upgraded Red Bull RB21 and setting a lap time of 1:17.392 which was 0.153s clear of Leclerc who was second fastest.
After topping FP1 and being second fastest in FP2, Leclerc showed that Ferrari appear to be in the mix this weekend as Antonelli emerged as third fastest despite suffering from some technical gremlins on his W16 early in the session. He was just 0.021s behind Leclerc.
Lando Norris came next in fourth, two and a half tenths off the pace as McLaren seemed to struggle with their car as Formula 1 Championship leader, Oscar Piastri was down in 12th a massive 0.840s.
Lewis Hamilton was fifth fastest in the second Ferrari three tenths off the pace and was ahead of his former Mercedes teammate George Russell, who was sixth and 0.137s behind the seven-time F1 Champion.
Yuki Tsunoda was seventh, 0.491s off the pace and ahead of Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin who was half a tenth further down the road in eighth.
Carlos Sainz was ninth in the Williams as Lance Stroll completed the top ten in the second Aston Martin.
Buildup towards FP2
Business as usual resumed for FP2 as the nine regular drivers who handed their cars overs to nine young/rookie ones in the first practice session were back in their rightful places in the cockpit.
In addition to the fact that half the regular field was not taking part in FP1, extremely high track temperatures and a green track meant not much could be taken from running is such conditions.
Arvid Lindblad really impressed when standing in for Verstappen, going faster than Tsunoda and being the best among the rookies running in FP1.
But the Red Bull junior driver's session was somehow tarnished as he was warned for impeding Pato O'ward who was driving the McLaren MCL39 of Norris.
However, it was a clean session by the youngsters who made sure they brought the cars back in one piece causing no awkward moments or headache to their respective teams.
Red Bull were the only team to bring upgrades to their car that were other than track specific with a new floor body as they leave no stone unturned trying to help Verstappen secure a fifth F1 Drivers' Championship title.
So how will the Dutchman get on with his upgraded car? Let's have a look at FP2.
FP2 Session Highlights
Clear, dry conditions continued into FP2 as track temperatures dropped a bit, from 48 to 43 degrees Celsius at the start of the session with air temperature rising to 25 degrees.
Liam Lawson was the first driver to head out on track, eager to make up for the missed running in FP1 and was chased by the other drivers who sat out the first 60 minutes of practice.
Verstappen head out with flow vis on the floor body of his car while Antonelli reported an issue that put his car into "limp home" mode.
The Italian's engineer gave him some instructions to rectify the matter, which did not work, upon which he was asked to box. However, the driver responded that he reset something and it now worked.
Then Stroll ran wide at Turn 12, while a slight oversteer moment sent Hamilton off track at Turn 10.
After that, Norris reported and issue; he radioed: "I've got a lot of misfires. Out of every corner, a lot of surges."
His teammate, Piastri has a moment in Turn 3, as his car went side ways, but he kept it pointing in the right direction.
Russell then had a slide at Turn 10 and went off track like Hamilton while Antonelli returned to the pits as it seemed his car issue returned.
All the driver started on Mediums except for Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Isack Hadjar who went out on Hards while Stroll chose the Softs.
Norris then became another driver to have a moment running wide at Turn 11 and had to abort his lap.
With 40 minutes remaining, Mercedes were working on Antonelli's car as they took the engine cover off trying to sort out the issue.
Alex Albon then switched to the Softs, with less than 40 minutes remaining on the clock as Antonelli rejoined the action.
Albon posted two purple sectors but then tapped the wall coming out of Turn 16 and while he got away with it, that ruined his final sector.
But soon more drivers shifted to the Soft tyre as Russell, Piastri, Norris, and Leclerc took them on for some Qualifying sims as Hamilton and Verstappen were in their respective pits getting ready.
Verstappen went fastest after the early Soft runs as both McLarens had horrible laps and went again, as Leclerc again did some tweaks on his Ferrari and went out for another qualifying simulation.
Leclerc did not complete another lap and while Norris improved, Piastri did not as Hamilton was the last of the top teams to start a qualifying simulation and was only fifth.
Verstappen then switched to Mediums and with his car filled with fuel, set out for some long runs to dial the race pace of his RB21.
Tsunoda then asked his team to check the floor reporting that he hit is hard on the kerbs of Turn 2.
Russell was not happy with the rear of his car and reported it felt "terrible" on the Medium tyre while Verstappen lost the rear in Turn 4 and reported that he had no grip and it was like "driving on ice".
With long runs concluded, the session ended with practice starts.
Mexico City GP FP2 Classification
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