Charles Leclerc completed a Friday double for Ferrari at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, topping the second free practice session with a fastest lap of 1:17.827 after also leading FP1. However, the Scuderia’s encouraging performance was overshadowed by a technical problem for Lewis Hamilton, who was forced to stop his SF-26 on the circuit and finished 11th, 0.685 seconds behind his teammate.
Ferrari demonstrated promising competitiveness over both single laps and longer runs at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, with Charles Leclerc producing a particularly consistent race-pace simulation. Nevertheless, Lewis Hamilton’s premature stoppage left the team with an important technical issue to assess ahead of Saturday’s running, while the closely matched leading teams ensured that the competitive picture remained open.
Ferrari builds on strong Mexico GP FP1 performance
The opening practice session had already provided encouraging indications about the SF-26’s behaviour on a circuit offering relatively little grip. Ferrari’s initial programme included aerodynamic testing, particularly on Lewis Hamilton’s car, which was fitted with airflow-measuring rakes around the front-wheel area.
The Maranello team also evaluated the car using both the hardest and softest available tyre compounds. The SF-26 demonstrated good balance on both specifications, suggesting that the preparation carried out on Ferrari’s simulator had provided a useful starting point for the Mexican weekend.
However, technical analyst Federico Albano suggested that Ferrari may have been running its power unit at a higher output than its competitors. The apparent objective was to explore the limits of the engine and the rear of the car under the unusual conditions created by Mexico City’s altitude.
That possibility adds an important consideration when assessing the team’s early performance. The demanding conditions at the Mexican circuit were already expected to provide a significant test of the SF-26 following the encouraging results of Ferrari’s final 2026 upgrades at Austin.
Mexico GP FP2: Lewis Hamilton leads early before Charles Leclerc takes control
Both Ferrari drivers began second practice on the medium tyre compound. Lewis Hamilton immediately demonstrated competitive speed, moving to the top of the timesheets on his first flying lap ahead of Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar.
Charles Leclerc initially struggled to produce a representative time after making a mistake through the sweeping sequence of corners at the end of the second sector. However, the Monegasque recovered on his following attempt and moved into first place, establishing an advantage of approximately half a second over his teammate.
Lewis Hamilton responded with an improvement of his own on the next lap, reducing the deficit to around three tenths. Both Ferrari drivers therefore showed encouraging pace during the opening phase, although the order continued to evolve as the teams worked through their different programmes.
Following a red-flag interruption, the two Ferrari drivers returned to the circuit on soft tyres to complete their qualifying simulations. Charles Leclerc was on course to set the fastest time, but traffic in the final sector forced him to abandon the lap.
Lewis Hamilton also encountered difficulties during his qualifying-style runs. The seven-time world champion failed to improve on his first attempt with the soft compound, while Charles Leclerc locked up at Turn 1 on his second flying lap, flat-spotting his tyres.
On his own second attempt, Lewis Hamilton improved his lap time but remained approximately three tenths behind Charles Leclerc’s benchmark at that stage. A possible power delivery issue towards the end of the lap may have contributed to the difference.
Lewis Hamilton forced to stop Ferrari after possible power unit problem
Shortly after completing his flying lap, Lewis Hamilton was forced to stop his SF-26 on the circuit because of a technical problem. The incident brought his second practice session to a premature conclusion and prevented him from completing the remainder of his planned Friday programme.
The stoppage may have been connected to the difficulty the British driver appeared to experience towards the end of his previous lap, although the precise cause had not been established.
A power unit problem is one possible explanation, particularly given the high mileage reportedly accumulated by the engine fitted to Lewis Hamilton’s car. However, this remains a hypothesis rather than a confirmed diagnosis.
The incident represents a frustrating setback for the seven-time world champion, who finished the session in 11th position, 0.685 seconds slower than his teammate. It also leaves Ferrari with additional work as the team prepares for the remaining sessions of the weekend.
The problem comes against the backdrop of the cooling and grip challenges identified by Ferrari ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, although no direct connection between those conditions and Lewis Hamilton’s stoppage has been established.
Charles Leclerc tops FP2 with 1:17.827 as Ferrari shows strong race pace
While Lewis Hamilton’s session ended early, Charles Leclerc continued his programme and delivered another impressive performance. On his third flying attempt with the soft compound, the Monegasque recorded the fastest lap of the session, a 1:17.827, finishing approximately two tenths ahead of Lando Norris.
Having secured first place, Charles Leclerc returned to the Ferrari garage before beginning the race-pace phase of his programme. With 20 minutes remaining, he rejoined the circuit on medium tyres to complete a longer run.
The simulation produced particularly encouraging results. Driving the number 16 Ferrari, Charles Leclerc maintained very consistent lap times throughout his stint, providing further evidence of the SF-26’s competitiveness beyond a single qualifying-style lap.
Ferrari therefore ended Friday with positive indications in both outright performance and race pace. The consistency displayed during Charles Leclerc’s longer run was especially valuable, complementing the strong balance already observed during the opening session.
Practice performance and stint comparisons can be explored through the F1 practice and long-run analysis tool, which provides a broader perspective on lap times and tyre-stint performance.
Ferrari faces important Saturday test despite Mexico GP Friday double
Charles Leclerc’s two fastest times on Friday have given Ferrari an encouraging start to the Mexican Grand Prix weekend. The SF-26 has demonstrated competitive speed on individual laps, while its performance during the race-pace simulation suggests that the car is also behaving well over longer runs.
However, the three other leading teams remain firmly in contention and are expected to improve as the weekend progresses. The relatively small gaps between the main contenders mean Ferrari cannot assume that Friday’s advantage will automatically carry over into qualifying.
Saturday will therefore be particularly important for the Maranello team. Ferrari must confirm the progress demonstrated during practice while also addressing the technical problem that interrupted Lewis Hamilton’s session.
The team’s ability to convert promising practice performance into a strong qualifying result will be crucial, particularly as qualifying establishes much of the foundation for Sunday’s race. The remaining session times are available in the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix weekend schedule.
For now, the indications are positive. Charles Leclerc has finished both Friday sessions fastest, and the SF-26 has shown promising consistency, but Ferrari must reproduce that competitiveness when the decisive sessions begin.
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