Verstappen Tops Mexico City FP2 to End Opening Day on Strong Note

Sports

Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance in Free Practice 2 for the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix, setting a time of 1:17.392 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and heading a closely-fought top group.

Charles Leclerc secured second place with a lap that was 0.153 seconds slower, while Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top three, just 0.174 seconds behind Verstappen. Lando Norris posted the fourth-fastest time, trailing by 0.251 seconds, and Lewis Hamilton completed the top five with a 0.300-second deficit.

Conditions during the session were challenging with low grip, attributed to the high altitude and evolving track surface. Several teams focused on long-run evaluations and tyre management rather than outright pace, yet the top runners made their mark. Verstappen admitted tyre performance under the current conditions remains “a big concern,” even as he posted the fastest time.

For Oscar Piastri, who leads the championship, it was a tougher session — he found himself around eighth-tenths off the pace and will be working hard to close the gap ahead of qualifying. Teams across the board noted that the data gathered today, especially from FP2, will be crucial as they head into Saturday’s key sessions.

With Free Practice 3 still to come and qualifying looming, Verstappen’s pace adds momentum to his title charge and signals that Red Bull may be regaining form at a decisive moment of the campaign.