Ferrari enters the Mexican Grand Prix following a strong showing in the United States GP, where Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished third and fourth respectively. Last year, the Maranello-based team secured victories at both Austin and the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, and the hope is that the SF-25 can replicate, at least partially, the impressive performance of its predecessor, the SF-24.
Lewis Hamilton: “You never know how strong the others will be”
After the Sprint in Austin, the Mexico City weekend will again feature a reduced number of practice sessions for Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion will, like eight other drivers, skip FP1 to allow a driver with fewer than three F1 races to take part. For Ferrari, test and reserve driver Antonio Fuoco will get this opportunity.
The fourth-place finish in the US GP boosted the Briton driver’s confidence as he looked ahead to the Mexican weekend, reflecting on last year’s results. He stated: “I think we are still trying to get more from this car. In the last race, we extracted a lot from the machine. This car has a bit more performance, and from one track to another, things are slightly different – you never know how strong the others will be. Ferrari was very strong here last year, so I hope we can apply what we learned then and make it work this weekend.”
Still in the process of fully adapting to the Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton noted the challenges he expects on the Mexican circuit: “I anticipate the car will feel very different from what I experienced here last year and in previous years. Skipping FP1 means I need to learn quickly and adapt immediately to the track conditions.”
Charles Leclerc: “We are keeping our feet on the ground for now”
In Texas, both Ferrari cars collected crucial points in the title battle against Oscar Piastri, with Lando Norris having to fight hard to pass Leclerc and finish second behind Max Verstappen. On the possibility of acting as a spoiler in the championship duel between the Dutchman and the McLaren drivers, Charles Leclerc was cautious: “We are keeping our feet on the ground for now. We had a positive weekend and executed it nearly perfectly. That said, Red Bull and McLaren were still fairly strong, and at this point, we are not in a position to make life difficult for either of them.”
Reflecting on the Austin weekend and how Ferrari regained competitiveness after a difficult Friday, Charles Leclerc explained: “It was all about setup adjustments and changes in how we manage the tires, which are particularly sensitive this year. There are many lessons we learned from that weekend, and I hope we can apply them here.” – the Monegasque driver pointed out.
He also highlighted the strategic decision to start on Soft tires: “I didn’t expect to be the only one among the first 15 on the grid to choose them. It was a bit of a surprise, and naturally, once in the car, you have some doubts, but it turned out to be the right choice, and I’m glad we tried something that others probably didn’t anticipate.”
FP1 teamwork with Fuoco
During Friday’s FP1, Leclerc will share the garage with Antonio Fuoco, his former teammate at Prema during their successful 2017 F2 season and a close personal friend. Charles Leclerc said: “I’m very happy for Antonio. We grew up together in the Ferrari Driver Academy, and there’s a special bond between us. Sharing the F2 season and now the garage again after several years is fantastic. Even though we’ve always had a strong connection over the years, having him in the other car will be a huge help for the team. Beyond the personal satisfaction, he is one of our simulator drivers, and it’s very important for him to drive the car in real life to compare it with the virtual model. That will be invaluable support.”
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