Lando Norris will not take part in the first free practice session at the Mexican Grand Prix. McLaren has officially announced that IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward will step in for the British driver and take the wheel during FP1 — a special opportunity for the Mexican racer to drive in front of his home fans at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
“It’s always amazing to come back home,” said Pato O’Ward. “The atmosphere and the support from the fans in Mexico City are truly special. I can’t wait to get back on track, contribute to the team, help with the car setup, and gather valuable data. Thanks to Zak [Brown] and Andrea [Stella] for this opportunity — I’m really looking forward to it.”
This will be the second FP1 session that Lando Norris skips this season. Earlier in the year, the British driver gave up his seat to Alex Dunne during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. The decision is part of the FIA’s mandatory program requiring teams to allocate two FP1 sessions per season to rookie drivers with limited Formula 1 experience.
Fans will have to wait until FP2 to see Lando Norris back in action and discover his performance level on the challenging Mexico City circuit, where McLaren aims to continue its strong form in the closing stages of the season.
Leave a Reply