2017 Mexican GP: Kimi Raikkonen reaction and impressions after FP1 and FP2. Kimi's view at the end of FP2.

A unique track makes for a unique challenge. At the end of a busy Friday, Scuderia Ferrari drivers gave their comments on the Mexican circuit and their runs with the SF70H, during which all three tyre compounds were tried out in both fast-lap and long-run configuration. Scuderia Ferrari Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen said that it was another “tricky” Friday free practice at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the Maranello team but the 2007 Formula One world champion is not discouraged by his car’s potential ahead of the 2017 Mexican Grand Prix.

The Finnish driver ended the second practice session fifth fastest with a best lap of 1m 18.142s to keep within four-tenths of pace-setter Daniel Ricciardo, while Kimi Raikkonen remained less than one-tenth off of team-mate Sebastian Vettel, and despite the fact that he found the circuit slippery he was content with a “normal Friday” with mixed results: “There’s always going to be work to do and more things to do to make it better but we know it is quite a tricky circuit with the high altitude and always feeling a bit slippery.” – Kimi Raikkkonen said, as reported by Italian national sports newspaper based in Rome Corriere dello Sport at the end of the second practice session, which took place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – “In some places it was okay, in others it was not so great but it’s a normal story for Friday when we are trying things. You always hope that everything is straight away everything perfect but that’s not normally the case. Every year it is tricky here because it’s always a bit slippery due to the high altitude and lack of downforce. It was just the first practice and we can improve. In the evening we will go through everything, figure out what’s best and get ready for tomorrow.” – the Finnish driver explained.

While Kimi Raikkonen fought against his struggles with the slippery Mexico City circuit surface his team-mate suffered with a broke fire extinguisher midway through FP2 which forced a halt to Sebastian Vettel’s long run. Come the end of the second free practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel drove his SF70H car to the fourth fastest time of 1’18”051, which was 91 thousandths faster than team-mate Kimi Raikkonen’s lap of 1’18”142. Seb did 35 laps and Kimi 40.