P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Oscar Piastri led a McLaren 1-2 in the final practice session before Formula 1 qualifying at the Mexican Grand Prix, usurping early pacesetter Ferrari
In the final practice session before Formula 1 qualifying at the Mexican Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri led a McLaren 1-2, outperforming early frontrunner Ferrari. The Ferraris, which had shown strength on Friday, were initially leading FP3, but it was McLaren that shone during the late-session qualifying simulations. Piastri topped the timesheet with a 1m16.492s, nearly seven tenths faster than last year’s pole time. Max Verstappen faced grip issues, finishing fourth, with his teammate Sergio Perez struggling and ending up 14th. Ferrari, with Carlos Sainz in third and Charles Leclerc in sixth, couldn’t match the McLaren pace on their final soft tyre runs. Yuki Tsunoda took seventh, with team-mate Liam Lawson in tenth after a spin, while Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg were ninth and 16th for Haas. George Russell impressed in eighth, and Valtteri Bottas was 12th for Sauber, ahead of Alpine in the midfield battle. Pierre Gasly had a difficult session, finishing 20th, while Esteban Ocon was 18th for Alpine.
