The first practice sessions in Mexico provided an interesting insight into team performance. The surprise was seeing Red Bull now seemingly dance on the kerbs and build time through slow corners, while McLaren focused on improving balance and, above all, rear stability. But where do Ferrari and Mercedes fit in?
Over the years, the Mexican Grand Prix has often highlighted a recurring theme: pole position is important, but it is not always decisive, especially considering how the long start-finish straight can overturn expectations. The opening practice sessions confirmed this trend, offering a Friday with two contrasting faces.
In many ways, it was an unusual Friday, not only due to the presence of several rookies in FP1 but also because the track did not show the usual improvement throughout the day. In fact, for some drivers, it even worsened in FP2, an anomaly that suggests the true competitive order is still to be fully revealed, particularly if the track evolution changes the balance between teams.
This helps explain the marked differences between the teams, with gaps varying between qualifying simulations and race pace. Red Bull, for example, appeared significantly more competitive with low fuel than over longer stints, to the point of finishing runs early on empty tanks to focus on other areas—a clear sign of confidence in their single-lap performance.
On the other side, McLaren seems in the opposite situation: less competitive on a flying lap, which is a consistent issue especially now that the MCL39 has less margin over rivals, but extremely effective in race simulations. Lando Norris showed strong performance on the Soft tires, demonstrating how well the compound could be managed even on a dirty track.
Particularly on the harder compounds, Friday saw tires sliding and accumulating heat on the outer edges, while warming the tire core proved more difficult. However, cooler conditions during the long runs helped some teams exploit the Soft tires better, while others struggled with Mediums due to lack of grip. Understanding how track evolution will influence team balance will be key, but Friday already offered important technical insights.
Red Bull: improvements evident in slow corners
An interesting aspect is how Red Bull interprets a lap, now managing to “dance” on the kerbs—a feature that was once almost impossible for the RB21. The team seems to have found a solution that allows the suspension to work more effectively without compromising the aerodynamic platform. The result is a balance that permits more aggressive kerb use without destabilizing the car when returning to the asphalt.
Another noticeable point is how the Mexico City circuit emphasizes performance in slow corners, an area where Red Bull has made a clear step forward compared to the past. While not yet the absolute benchmark in rotation phases, the RB21 today shows more incisiveness, especially in corner exits and traction.
This is particularly evident in the slow corners of the second and, above all, third sectors, where maintaining the tires in an optimal thermal window can make a significant difference. Paradoxically, however, this trait may also have contributed to the race pace difficulties with Medium tires, which Verstappen openly criticized.
McLaren: improvements needed in balance
This is also the area where McLaren is seeking to make progress. Norris skipped the first FP1 session but immediately found confidence in FP2, likely linked to car setup, possibly a bit front-biased since the Woking team tends to struggle with front-end performance on tracks prone to graining.
Notably, even Pirelli expressed surprise that no team reported front-end graining despite the dirty track conditions. Only when increasing pace did the car become harder to manage, and Norris highlighted that balance still needs fine-tuning, particularly regarding rear stability and pure traction in the third sector.
McLaren appears sharper in medium-to-high-speed corners, where the MCL39 shows strong pace, especially on corner entry. This is visible in turn 7, where Norris gains 6–7 km/h over Mercedes and Red Bull, and up to 12 km/h on Ferrari. Between turns 8 and 9, there is a noticeable drop, partly due to traffic, indicating more potential remains: Norris’s first attempt was faster, though still slightly behind the leaders.
Where do Ferrari and Mercedes fit? While Red Bull and McLaren represent two extremes in single-lap effectiveness versus race pace, other top teams sit in between. Charles Leclerc’s comments confirm this impression, while Kimi Antonelli showed confidence. The W16 in particular excels on tracks where traction is crucial, especially on dirty asphalt, making it a variable to watch, although rising temperatures remain a challenge.
Ferrari appears to occupy this middle ground, finding a good compromise between slow and fast sections, even if chronic difficulties turning the car in certain parts, especially sector two, persist. Interestingly, in sector three, Ferrari was among the best, showing they could keep the tires in good condition—a key factor for finding tenths in qualifying, particularly when pushing to the limit, as the Scuderia has often struggled between Q2 and Q3.
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