The first free practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix took place today at the Circuit of the Americas, but the most important news of the day is that Red Bull learned their punishment for their cost cap breach: Formula 1’s newly-crowned world champions have been handed a $7million fine, as well as a 10 per cent reduction in their aerodynamic development time in the wind tunnel. Red Bull insist the punishment is harsh. Their rivals? Not likely to feel that way.
It was then time for some on-track business, as we were away for an hour of Practice One, with home favourite Sergio Perez one of the first out on track. The importance of this session was magnified because of the tyre which take place later tonight in the second free practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Not much of a surprise to see Max Verstappen straight out of the blocks and on the pace – with the world champion bolting in a 1:22.779. The Red Bull was usually quick around this track – even in their less competitive years – so expect them to be mighty this weekend. Sergio Perez was also right up to speed. Both Red Bulls were leading the way before Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc pipped them with his 1:21.546 on the soft tyres. Max Verstappen (+0.745) and Sergio Perez (+1.127) remained out there on the hard tyres, as did most of the teams during the first half of the practice session.
“Schumacher’s found about three seconds compared to his hard run…” – Those were the words to Sergio Perez across team radio, after the Haas driver put his car second behind Charles Leclerc on the timesheet. The Mexican no doubt was looking to achieve the same gains when he switched over.
Lando Norris was really getting to grips with this track well, putting himself on the upper echelons of the timesheet, however the news wasn’t so good for his team-mate. Daniel Ricciardio was +3.069 back from the current pace-setter and there was work going on with his brakes as there was yet another issue.
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It’s rare to see Max Verstappen put a wheel out of place in the Red Bull but he went for a spin in the twisty middle sector: “It’s unbelievable,” said the world champion on team radio. “I couldn’t correct it. So little grip!”
There were concerned faces at Alfa Romeo and significant conversations going on, as Zhou Guanyu was beached at the edge of the pitlane. There wa nothing he could do, instead he just sat there patiently before the marshals lend a hand and a red flag was avoided. And Zhou wasn’t the only one with problems: Piettro Fittipaldi had his session back in the Haas cut short, with his car stopping in the first sector to bring out yellow, and then red, flags. He was told to stop the car immediately after leaving the pits, with a Ferrari power unit that was smoking. He only completed nine laps but that was his session over.
We had a green light again in Mexico – with drivers unsurprisingly straight back out for the final 15 minutes, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc at the top of the timesheets after their runs on soft tyres.
Jack Doohan’s Formula 1 practice debut came to a slightly premature end amid concerns at Alpine over the power unit on his car, while Lewis Hamilton might have some explaining to do at the end of FP1: not for the first time in recent weeks, he was caught going a little bit slowly during a practice session. He moved across the track in the stadium section as Daniel Ricciardo came flying round the corner at full speed, with a collision only narrowly avoided.
Just a few moments later, there was a big issue for AlphaTauri and Liam Lawson: he was stranded with his breaks smoking on the edge of the track. Thankfully, the stewards got to him and managed to put out the flames, as we then received confirmation that the red flag also meant the end the session, with only a couple of minutes remaining. Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz therefore finished FP1 in P1, with a time of 1:20.707. Carlos and his Maranello teammate Charles Leclerc were the drivers that lead the way after that session. With Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen delivering the same time, the fact that the Mexican driver achieved it earlier in the session meant he sat in third.
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