Mexico FP2 report: Carlos Sainz quickest on test tyre compound from Oscar Piastri

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Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz set the fastest lap during a heavily disrupted second practice session (FP2) for the the Mexico City Grand Prix at the 4.304-kilometre Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, following an early crash by George Russell that led to a prolonged red-flag period. The session at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez featured an additional 30 minutes, as Pirelli used the opening hour to test 2025 tyre prototypes, including a new C6 compound and updated constructions for next Formula 1 season.

Just under 15 minutes into FP2, George Russell, who also crashed in Austin the previous weekend, triggered a red flag after losing control of his Mercedes at Turn 9. The incident began as he unsettled the car over a kerb at Turn 8, causing a high-speed spin that sent him into the barriers. After repairs were made to the damaged barriers, the session resumed with around an hour left on the clock, which allowed most drivers to complete a standard amount of laps despite the interruption. Carlos Sainz ultimately topped the timesheets with a 1:17.699 for the Maranello team, finishing just under two-tenths ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Yuki Tsunoda continued his strong showing, taking third place, followed closely by the other Ferrari SF-24 car of Charles Leclerc, who finished less than a hundredth of a second behind in fourth.

Lando Norris, who sat out in the first free practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix, made his return to place fifth in the second McLaren, while Kevin Magnussen delivered an impressive sixth for Haas. Lewis Hamilton, running Mercedes’ latest upgrades, finished seventh in the only Mercedes on track at the end of the session. For Sauber, Valtteri Bottas provided a rare highlight, finishing eighth and showing some progress for the team yet to score points this season. Sergio Perez placed ninth, while Max Verstappen managed only two laps before an engine issue sidelined him. Liam Lawson completed the top ten, though he was over six-tenths behind Yuki Tsunoda, who is set to drive Red Bull's RB20 in Abu Dhabi testing session.

Elsewhere, Aston Martin’s recent struggles persisted, with Fernando Alonso marking his 400th F1 start by finishing 11th, and Lance Stroll down in 14th. Nico Hulkenberg placed 12th for Haas, just outside Magnussen's impressive effort, while Esteban Ocon led Alpine in 13th. Franco Colapinto, stepping in for Williams, finished 15th, with teammate Alex Albon unable to participate following his FP1 crash. Rounding out the field were Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in 16th and Guanyu Zhou in the second Sauber in 17th, while Max Verstappen and Alex Albon closed the order.

It was an outstanding Ferrari on display in Mexico City. Carlos Sainz claimed the best time, but what impressed most was the race pace of both SF-24s. Let's dive into the results from FP2 of the F1 Mexico GP.

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