P1racenews AI automatic summary:
There are signs that Red Bull’s advantage is less comfortable than usual at the Mexican Grand Prix – and that the main threat is McLaren
The Mexican Grand Prix Friday practice sessions were affected by occasional light drizzle, making it difficult to assess the true form. However, signs indicate that McLaren is a strong contender, with Lando Norris setting impressive lap times. Norris was just 0.15 seconds slower than Max Verstappen on the same soft tire and had the fastest long run, about 0.2 seconds quicker than Verstappen on the medium tire. Notably, Norris started his long runs on brand new tires while Verstappen’s had already done a few laps. Overall, the teams are still deciding between using medium or hard tires for the race, which is expected to be a one-stop strategy. Red Bull’s hard tire seemed better, as Sergio Perez showed during a long run, while at McLaren, Oscar Piastri was slower on the hards compared to Norris on the mediums. The teams are also managing tire and brake temperatures better this year at the high-altitude challenges of the Mexico City track.
Source: The Race
