Leclerc Tops Mexico Practice as Antonelli Nears Historic F1 Title

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc topped both Formula 1 practice sessions in Mexico on Friday, setting the pace ahead of Saturday's race at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Meanwhile, Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli is closing in on a historic championship title.

Antonelli, 20, missed media day on Thursday due to a viral illness but bounced back to record the second-fastest time in opening practice and fourth in the second session. The Italian driver holds a commanding 123-point lead over teammate George Russell and needs only a ninth-place finish on Saturday to secure the title. Leclerc clocked the fastest lap in FP2 with 1 minute and 17.827 seconds, followed by McLaren's Lando Norris.

Sparks and Drama on Track

The second practice session was halted by red flags following a collision between Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson, which scattered debris across the track. Lawson quickly complained over the team radio: "He just drove right into me. Every single weekend." Concurrently, Lewis Hamilton was forced to stop his car, triggering a virtual safety car period. "I've lost all power," the British driver reported.

Young Drivers Face Hurdles

Opening practice saw ten regular drivers sit out to accommodate young rookie participants. Formula 2 contender Nikola Tsolov, replacing Lawson, complained of numbness in his foot. "I've lost blood in my right leg, I can't feel it, the seat is pressing too hard," Tsolov explained to his team before finishing 12th. At Audi, 18-year-old Freddie Slater encountered trouble when mechanics left a cooling fan attached to his car as he headed onto the track. Wrapping up the sessions, American Colton Herta drove Valtteri Bottas's car, completing 30 laps toward his Super License requirements.