The results of the first free practice of the F1 Mexican GP: best time for George Russell, according to Carlos Sainz. Leclerc gives his Ferrari to Bearman, who however is involved in an accident with Albon
The program officially begins Mexican GP, second act of the American quadrilogy of the 2024 F1 World Championship. They took place in the Italian evening the first free practicestormented by several interruptions tIt was unexpected debris that appeared on the track and an accident that we will see in detail: which still stands out in the time list George Russell, which drops below 1:18 despite finishing with the power unit of their Mercedes struggling with some overheating problems. Behind him Carlos Sainz, third Yuki Tsunoda. Quarto Max Verstappen.
Mexican GP, Free Practice 1: rookies on track
FP1 which, among other things, gave great space to new talent, including ithe next Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, back on the W15 (the one used by Lewis Hamilton, to be precise) after the somewhat unfortunate debut in free practice 1 at Monza. Ferrari has fielded Oliver Bearmanfrom 2025 in Haas and for the occasion on the single-seater of Charles LeclercMcLaren Pato O’Ward, Aston Martin Felipe Drugovich e Clean Robert Shwartzman. And Antonelli himself pays the price again by hitting one of the metal debris present on the track at the start of the session, which forced FP1 to be red flagged. Fortunately the young pilot emerges unharmed.
The incident between Albon and Bearman
Another rookie, Bearman, is the protagonist of a controversial episode with Alex Albonwho had set one of the best times at the start of the session, lapping in 1:19.812. In fact, the Anglo-Thai ends up on the wall after the chronometric exploit due to a touch of the left front of the next Haas driver’s car. Albon lost control of his Williams a little when climbing the inside curb; Bearman tried to move to try to give space to his rival but the latter got the worst of it, ending up on the barriers. The accident occurs at the next bend, forcing a new regime of red flags, while on the radio Albon addressed his young British colleague with unflattering words.
For the second time he was driving an F1 car in free practice, the latter was forced to wave the white flag prematurely. Speaking of cars, the one driven by Bearman and belonging, as we know, to Leclerc It did suffer some damagebut nothing that could compromise its regular deployment on the track in the subsequent FP2.
In all this hubbub, meanwhile, Carlos Sainz took the best time with 1:19.407. However, when the session resumed George Russell regains the lead in the chronometric records, which he had already conquered before the Spaniard, improving to an impressive 1:17.998 thanks also to the soft tyres. At six tenths, however, Sainz remains in his wake.
Good long run for Sainz at the end of the session
The session ends with long run tests with a load of petrol and with the drivers opting for hard tyres, including Verstappen, who however suffers from some problems with the engine of his RB20. Sainz, in particular, in his second time attack he recorded a time of 1:22.026.
The top ten of FP1, in addition to the podium and fourth place for Verstappen, therefore sees Nico Hulkenberg fifth, Oscar Piastri sixth, Esteban Ocon seventh, Valtteri Bottas eighth, Liam Lawson ninth and the glory of home Sergio Perez tenth. Twelfth Antonelli.
Source: sport.virgilio.it
