At the start of FP3 of the Mexican GP we witness a singular fact: neither of the two Red Bull drivers are present in the pits and they do not leave until halfway through the session. Primo he is unattainable Verstappen, according to a fort Albon e third Perez, the home pilot.
A truly unique session
At the departure of FP3 of the Mexican GP let's see something particolare: neither of the two Red Bull drivers are present in the pits. Unlike Carlos Sainz, who was ready for ten minutes. At the same time, all the drivers seem to be waiting for someone else to get on the track first to improve the conditions by rubberizing it. But then, one after the other, they leave. The first drivers to take to the track have the hard tires and medium, seen the forced closure with FP2, due to rain, which had prevented to some pilots of simulate the long run.
FP3 GP Mexico, many changes in the leader of the classification
Carlos Sainz starts with a good qualifying lap, but it is soon overcome by 136 thousandths from his teammate Charles Leclerc. Then comes Hamilton to overtake the Cavallino duo. Norris crosses his car dangerously, but succeeds – spectacularly – a don't lose it and to set the provisional fifth time. His teammate, Piastres, instead it makes a turn of more than a second slower, as tsunoda e Bottas. Then follows a Gasly spins, which does not end in the wall, but he returns by making a maneuver against traffic… Meanwhile, a reborn George Russell marks the best time, overcoming teammate too Lewis Hamilton.
Tsunoda goes long, but immediately gets back on track without damage. Piastres, however, has some bad grip sensations on the back and on the laughs, so he returns to the pits. He goes then Russell is also long at a point on the track where grip is scarce for all the riders. Soon after the two Ferrari drivers relaunch themselves, but in the central Sainz sector is forced to raise your foot due to a misunderstanding with a Zhou, too wide on the trajectory. Leclerc, however, manages to close the lap, but 6 tenths behind Russell and just 3 cents from Hamilton.
And the Red Bulls?
Around mid-session they leave also le Red Bull, and Magnussen complains about the rear, like Piastri. Verstappen leaves with them red tires, like Perez: the strategy for the race seems to be on two sets of hard tires and one medium. While the other teams will probably adopt two trains of medium and one of hard. Ricciardo instead, he takes to the track with hard rubber. Leclerc is now in the pits, while Carlos Sainz, after a pit stop, back on track to recover what he had to stop. AND Migliora his time ahead of qualifying, closing in on his teammate.
It gets better Perez too and the Mexican public cheers as if their compatriot had taken pole. Because he places himself in third place, just 70 thousandths behind Russell, now second, after the unreachable Max Verstappen. Meanwhile Ricciardo è provisionally fourth, after Perez! And, incredibly, Verstappen makes a correction! So Leclerc goes out again to try a long runs and does a good lap of 1'21”. Moments of panicinstead, for the Sainz's Ferrari in the pits, that is surrounded by several mechanics. Let's remember the hydraulic problem encountered by Sainz during FP1... This time the intervention involves the replacement of the rear wing. After that, the number #55 returns to the track for race pace simulation.
FP3 Mexican GP, the laps on new tyre
Albon with new rubber it lights up a “fuchsia” in the first sector e Sargeant flies to third, but in the meantime a very long by Ocon brings out the yellow flag. Only in first sector. Despite this, Albon sets the fastest lap, going down for salt 3 thousandths below the wall of1'18"!!
So they also take to the track McLaren with new tyre and while Norris improves your own time, Piastri “lights up a new fuchsia” in the first sector. Then, however, Piastri results only tenth, For a performance drop in the last sector, where it has lost a second, perhaps due to a mistake. Bottas too is in the top 5. And then Plates recovers, going up in provisional third position. Or with, however, fails to obtain more than one fourteenth place, while Hamilton relaunches, temporarily seventh, e they launch themselves two Aston Martin. It also relaunches Perez that closes third, after Albon, overtaken by Verstappen.
Those ugly impediments…
We were talking about Aston Martin: Lance Stroll also risks losing it if he goes too far. They snap again the two Ferraris, first Leclerc e then Sainz, which however they are forced to relaunch due to too much traffic: Sainz requests a penalty for Stroll, even if they are not given during free practice. On the other hand, Stroll caused a no small problem for Sainz, despite having resolved: a dangerous one spin...
Leclerc, unfortunately, in the meantime forced in turn to slow down so as not to end up on top of Magnussen. Shortly after, the FIA communicates to have Stroll's impediment was noted on Sainz. Leclerc, meanwhile, improves, but closes the session fifteenth, while Sainz the session ends seventeenth.
Order of arrival and Fanta F1 of the Mexican GP
In order of arrival at the end of FP3 of the Mexican GP: Verstappen, Albon, Perez, Russell, Piastri, Bottas, Tsunoda, Norris, Ricciardo, Hamilton, Sargeant, Zhou, Leclerc, Stroll, Sainz, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Gasly, Magnussen and Ocon
We bring you our advice for the Fanta F1 GP of Mexico.
