FP1: Russell tops Mexico practice as Albon and Bearman clash

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Russell leads first practice amidst rookie showdown and collision drama.

Mexico City — The highly anticipated Mexico City Grand Prix weekend got off to a dramatic start, with George Russell setting the fastest lap during Friday’s practice session for Mercedes. The session was notably marred by a significant collision involving Williams' Alex Albon and Ferrari's Oliver Bearman.

George Russell emerged as the fastest driver during the first practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix, marking a strong start for the Mercedes team. He outpaced his closest rivals, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and RB's Yuki Tsunoda, in a session that was as eventful as it was instructive, featuring several rookies and multiple interruptions.

Red flag interruptions and rookie appearances

Given the regulatory requirement for all Formula 1 drivers to sit out one FP1 per season in favor of a rookie with no more than two Grand Prix starts, several teams opted for changes. This practice session saw Kimi Antonelli for Mercedes, future Haas driver Ollie Bearman at Ferrari, IndyCar's Pato O’Ward at McLaren, former GP2 champion Felipe Drugovich at Aston Martin, and Robert Shwartzman at Kick Sauber.

The experienced drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso (celebrating his 400th race weekend), and Zhou Guanyu, were sidelined for the first 60 minutes.

Early red flags

The session began with a red flag just minutes in due to debris on the track's start/finish straight. This was caused by Antonelli running over it while approaching the first corner braking zone. Marshals swiftly cleared the debris, allowing the session to resume after a 10-minute delay.

The dusty conditions and high-altitude setting of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit posed significant difficulty for drivers, with Oscar Piastri and Kevin Magnussen experiencing slides. Russell initially set the pace with a 1:19.519 on Pirelli's hard compound tires. The home crowd also showed enthusiasm whenever O’Ward or Sergio Perez made an appearance.

Major collision at Turn 10

The hour-long practice was temporarily suspended following a hefty crash at Turn 10. Albon lost control of his Williams at high speed, resulting in a side-on impact with Bearman's Ferrari, which was positioned on the slower side of the track. The impact caused damage to the Ferrari's suspension and led to a 13-minute red flag period.

Albon was quickly taken to the circuit's medical center as a precaution but was deemed fit shortly thereafter. Over the team radio, he referred to Bearman as an "idiot," expressing frustration over the incident. An investigation by the stewards into the collision was promptly announced.

Williams team principal James Vowles commented, "Alex had to back out of it and lost the car on the apex. The car doesn't really step out there. He lifted off because he saw the other car. As long as the chassis is OK, we will be fine for FP2. If the chassis is damaged, it's a bit more significant."

Second red flag and final minutes

Carlos Sainz briefly claimed the top spot with a 1:19.407, but the session was again interrupted by a red flag following Albon's crash. Albon lost control of his Williams through the esses, colliding with a slower-moving Bearman and subsequently hitting the wall. Albon confirmed his safety over the radio, but both cars suffered significant damage, necessitating extensive repairs before FP2.

After barrier adjustments, the session resumed with under 25 minutes remaining. Drivers quickly improved their times, and Russell retook the lead with a 1:17.998 on soft tires. Despite the disruption, Russell clocked an impressive time of 1:17.998, edging out Ferrari's Carlos Sainz by 0.317 seconds. Yuki Tsunoda took third place for Red Bull, showcasing strong form ahead of the weekend's action. Verstappen reported engine issues, noting he had "no power" towards the end.

Nico Hulkenberg put in a solid performance, finishing fifth. He was followed by Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, Esteban Ocon in the Alpine, and Valtteri Bottas in the Kick Sauber. Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez rounded out the top ten. Despite the home crowd's enthusiasm, Perez faced struggles, managing just 10th in front of the home crowd, lagging behind teammate Liam Lawson, who secured ninth for Red Bull.

Franco Colapinto was the sole Williams driver able to gather data after Albon's crash, securing 11th place. Antonelli, O’Ward, Kevin Magnussen, Pierre Gasly, and Lance Stroll followed, completing the mid-pack. Drugovich and Shwartzman, who faced their own issues, placed 18th and 19th respectively.

Looking ahead to FP2

Teams and drivers will scrutinize the gathered data in preparation for the second practice session, set to begin at 1600 local time. This session will be crucial for Pirelli tire testing, offering further insights for race strategies. The second practice session, pivotal for testing Pirelli's 2025 development tyres, will extend for an hour and a half, offering teams another opportunity to refine their strategies ahead of Sunday’s race.

Stay tuned for more updates as the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend unfolds, promising intense on-track action and potential surprises.

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