Ferrari still evaluating power unit change (ICE) for Carlos Sainz in Mexico amid grid penalty. Ferrari still evaluating power unit change (ICE) for Carlos.

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is a circuit where teams need as much practice time as possible. At 2,238 meters above sea level, all laws are turned upside down. Everything is reduced by 20 percent. The downforce, the air resistance, the cooling. On the other hand, the speeds on the straights and the load on the brakes increase. Max Verstappen already achieved a top speed of 347.0 km/h on the 1.2-kilometer home stretch.

Ironically, in the extreme conditions in Mexico City’s thin air, Pirelli asked for the second part of the tire test program. With that teams could forget the 90 minutes in the afternoon. The timetable for the second session is irrelevant because the drivers who had to take a break in the morning for rookies were allowed to do 45 minutes of normal practice on the current tire types in the second part.

So it’s no coincidence that three drivers from this group, George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon, led the rankings. And that the lap times were eight tenths faster. The time gained came from more rubber on the track. “In the beginning it felt like it was on ice,” said home favourite Sergio Perez.

The actual preparatory program took place in the morning. Also under difficult conditions. In the first practice, the track was still green and offered little grip. So little that you lost 1.2 seconds on hard tires. Fast laps were only possible on the soft rubber, but Pirelli’s super fast tyres will hardly be used on Sunday. “It only lasts four laps,” Mercedes engineers explain.

If the lap times on the soft tires were the benchmark over a lap then it could be an exciting race. Leader Carlos Sainz and fifth-placed Lewis Hamilton were seperated by just 0.142 seconds. Almost everyone from this group had a good excuse why they could have gone even faster. Charles Leclerc needed two laps before he had the tires in the window. Sergio Perez lost the first lap on fresh tires in traffic.

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Max Verstappen damaged his tires during a high-speed spin and still managed the fourth fastest time. Lewis Hamilton had to wait until 13 minutes before the end before his Mercedes was finally able to put in a fast lap. Before that, it stood in the garage for a long time due to cooling problems. Those have now been resolved. Mercedes was a bit too optimistic when calculating the cooling.

Does Carlos Sainz need a new engine?
Although the fast lap on the soft tires doesn’t mean much, everyone in the Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes camp was satisfied. “We are in a good position, on a fast lap, just like with the long runs,” said Red Bull sports director Helmut Marko. However, the Honda advantage of the past has disappeared. “We saw that last year.”

Ferrari was also satisfied with their performance and the Maranello team feels it is on the same level as the two main competitors. The first day did not go well for Charles Leclerc. In the morning, the World Championship runner-up complained of a puncture that kept him in the pits for a while because Ferrari wanted to make sure it wasn’t caused by the curbs. In the afternoon, the Monegasque lost the rear of his F1-75 car and hit the Tecpro barrier at Turn 10. Luckily there was only a Friday gearbox in the car.

Carlos Sainz and Ferrari are still evaluating whether the engine should be replaced on Saturday. After two clear rounds in a row, the Spaniard doesn’t feel like it. For Kevin Magnussen, Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon, on the other hand, it’s a certainty: Ocon and Tsunoda got old power units from the pool installed at lunchtime, avoiding a penalty. Magnussen expects a grid penalty (+5). Carlos Sainz would also have to go back when the sixth power unit is installed.

Mercedes expected to be in strong form in Mexico and were not disappointed. “That was our best Friday of the year,” said a happy George Russell, setting himself high goals: “We should be able to get a podium here.” Lewis Hamilton also exuded optimism: “The more we understand the car, the better it feels.” Helmut Marko judged from afar: “I’m afraid Mercedes could become an opponent for us here.”