Ferrari test driver Antonio Fuoco received praise from the Scuderia for his solid work during the first free practice session of the Mexican Grand Prix, where he took the wheel of Lewis Hamilton’s SF-25. His program was entirely focused on correlation testing with Ferrari’s simulator and gathering useful data for the 2026 project. However, at the end of the session, Fuoco admitted that finishing twentieth on the timesheet left a slightly bitter taste. His car, fitted with a large number of sensors, was far from a qualifying setup, and his runs were never aimed at setting fast lap times.
Once he removed his race suit and completed the post-session briefing, Fuoco appeared more relaxed and grateful for the opportunity Ferrari had given him. “I hadn’t driven a Formula 1 car for a while,” he explained, “but I can say that compared to the TPC tests we regularly carry out, being on track during a race weekend is something else entirely. The tyres are very different from those used in testing, and when you switch from the hard to the soft compound, the step in performance is quite significant.”
The Italian also spoke about the emotions of returning to the cockpit. “The moment you exit the pit lane is already something really special,” he admitted, “but as soon as I got on track, I focused mainly on getting my references on a circuit I didn’t know. The simulator helps a lot, but being on track is something completely different, especially here because of the altitude. The feeling with the aerodynamic load is very particular, unlike anything I’ve experienced before.”
Antonio Fuoco highlighted the physical and technical challenges of modern Formula 1 cars. “Every time I get into an F1 car, the braking always impresses me the most,” he continued. “But today, the track itself was also surprising — driving through the stadium section is incredible, and the entire third sector is very technical and demanding.”
In total, Antonio Fuoco completed 29 laps, running on both hard and soft tyres. Observers noticed during his laps in the second sector that the team’s instructions were clearly to avoid using the kerbs. The Italian did not go into the details of his testing program but confirmed that lap time performance was not a priority.
“I can confirm that the engineers working on the Maranello simulator are doing a great job,” Antonio Fuoco said. “Of course, there are always aspects we can improve to get even closer to reality, but we have to remember it’s impossible to perfectly recreate track conditions — they change from corner to corner, and that’s the real challenge. However, in terms of driving feel, we’re getting closer and closer.”
Once the on-track work and debriefs were complete, Antonio Fuoco quickly packed his bags to head to the nearby airport. “Tomorrow evening I’ll be at Mugello for the Ferrari Finali Mondiali gala dinner,” he revealed. “Then we’ll start preparing for the final race of the WEC season in Bahrain. We’re fighting for the championship, so nothing can be left to chance.”
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