P1racenews AI automatic summary:
That’s a significant marker from Lando Norris going into qualifying.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was quickest after Friday’s practice but expressed dissatisfaction with the race pace of his RB21, ending up sixth on the timesheet, 0.609s off the pace, with Oscar Piastri just ahead in fifth.
McLaren’s Lando Norris delivered an impressive performance in the final practice session, setting the pace and heading into qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix with confidence.
During the FP3 session, Verstappen and Hamilton both faced challenges, with Verstappen undertaking some testing on his RB21’s changes and Hamilton encountering lock-ups and flat-spotting a tyre.
Despite early setbacks, George Russell of Mercedes managed to break the 78-second barrier and finish on top before the qualifying simulation runs, with a lap time of 1:17.892s, edging out Norris by 0.123s.
The session featured many lock-ups, including Alex Albon’s promising run interrupted by a lock-up in the stadium section, evidencing the high tension and competitiveness among the drivers.
