Autobayng News Team
Almost no one could get near Lando Norris’s pace in the final practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix.
Track temperatures rose to a punishing 47C during the final hour of running. Most drivers waited until the final quarter of an hour to begin their qualifying simulations, at which point a flurry of fastest times appeared.
The leading drivers’ lap times largely converged when they ran on the medium tyre compound early in the session. The pattern continued after they switched to softs.
Isack Hadjar put up a strong time initially for Racing Bulls, which Oscar Piastri narrowly beat. The McLaren driver had languished outside the top 10 when the drivers were running on mediums.
Friday’s pace-setter Max Verstappen virtually matched Piastri’s time. His team mate Yuki Tsunoda, however, was much closer than usual.
Charles Leclerc narrowly beat Piastri’s time but his team mate went significantly quicker. Lewis Hamilton had trouble on several occasions trying to slow his car in the braking zones at turns one and three, but hooked up a lap on the soft tyres beautifully. His 1’16.978 put him two tenths of a second ahead.
However Norris then produced a clean and drama-free lap on the softs which moved the benchmark far beyond his rivals’ reach. His 1’16.633 left him half a second quicker than anyone bar Hamilton.
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Fernando Alonso sank to the bottom of the times after Aston Martin discovered a problem at the front-right corner of his car. He and team mate Lance Stroll did several single-lap runs on a wide array of compounds to prepare their tyres for qualifying and the grand prix.
2025 Mexican Grand Prix third practice result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’16.633 | 22 | |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’16.978 | 0.345 | 29 |
| 3 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W16 | 1’17.145 | 0.512 | 19 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’17.199 | 0.566 | 26 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’17.232 | 0.599 | 23 |
| 6 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’17.242 | 0.609 | 30 |
| 7 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | W16 | 1’17.253 | 0.620 | 19 |
| 8 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 02 | 1’17.396 | 0.763 | 19 |
| 9 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’17.415 | 0.782 | 23 |
| 10 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber-Ferrari | C45 | 1’17.526 | 0.893 | 24 |
| 11 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 02 | 1’17.552 | 0.919 | 20 |
| 12 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas-Ferrari | VF-25 | 1’17.574 | 0.941 | 26 |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR25 | 1’17.598 | 0.965 | 23 |
| 14 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber-Ferrari | C45 | 1’17.664 | 1.031 | 25 |
| 15 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Williams-Mercedes | FW47 | 1’17.801 | 1.168 | 24 |
| 16 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW47 | 1’17.994 | 1.361 | 20 |
| 17 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas-Ferrari | VF-25 | 1’18.046 | 1.413 | 23 |
| 18 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A525 | 1’18.412 | 1.779 | 24 |
| 19 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine-Renault | A525 | 1’18.581 | 1.948 | 22 |
| 20 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR25 | 1’18.611 | 1.978 | 12 |
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2025 Mexican Grand Prix combined practice times
| P. | # | Driver | Team | FP1 time | FP2 time | FP3 time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’17.643 | 1’16.633 | 53 | ||
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1’17.692 | 1’16.978 | 0.345 | 59 | |
| 3 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1’17.829 | 1’17.145 | 0.512 | 52 | |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’18.380 | 1’17.545 | 1’17.199 | 0.566 | 87 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’18.784 | 1’18.232 | 1’17.232 | 0.599 | 85 |
| 6 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’17.392 | 1’17.242 | 0.609 | 64 | |
| 7 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1’18.487 | 1’17.566 | 1’17.253 | 0.620 | 81 |
| 8 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 1’19.409 | 1’18.281 | 1’17.396 | 0.763 | 81 |
| 9 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’19.090 | 1’17.883 | 1’17.415 | 0.782 | 83 |
| 10 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’18.916 | 1’18.323 | 1’17.526 | 0.893 | 82 |
| 11 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 1’18.218 | 1’17.552 | 0.919 | 52 | |
| 12 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas-Ferrari | 1’19.038 | 1’18.266 | 1’17.574 | 0.941 | 86 |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’17.954 | 1’17.598 | 0.965 | 53 | |
| 14 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’18.760 | 1’18.348 | 1’17.664 | 1.031 | 81 |
| 15 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Williams-Mercedes | 1’17.939 | 1’17.801 | 1.168 | 58 | |
| 16 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’19.472 | 1’17.938 | 1’18.611 | 1.305 | 67 |
| 17 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | 1’19.384 | 1’18.855 | 1’17.994 | 1.361 | 84 |
| 18 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas-Ferrari | 1’18.442 | 1’18.046 | 1.413 | 57 | |
| 19 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | 1’19.194 | 1’18.412 | 1.779 | 54 | |
| 20 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine-Renault | 1’19.331 | 1’18.721 | 1’18.581 | 1.948 | 81 |
| 21 | 36 | Arvid Lindblad | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’18.997 | 2.364 | 26 | ||
| 22 | 89 | Pato O’Ward | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’19.680 | 3.047 | 30 | ||
| 23 | 72 | Frederik Vesti | Mercedes | 1’19.689 | 3.056 | 32 | ||
| 24 | 61 | Paul Aron | Alpine-Renault | 1’19.862 | 3.229 | 29 | ||
| 25 | 50 | Ryo Hirakawa | Haas-Ferrari | 1’20.073 | 3.440 | 27 | ||
| 26 | 40 | Ayumu Iwasa | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 1’20.153 | 3.520 | 29 | ||
| 27 | 46 | Luke Browning | Williams-Mercedes | 1’20.310 | 3.677 | 31 | ||
| 28 | 35 | Jak Crawford | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’20.371 | 3.738 | 29 | ||
| 29 | 38 | Antonio Fuoco | Ferrari | 1’20.854 | 4.221 | 29 |
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2025 Mexican Grand Prix
- Live: 2025 Mexican Grand Prix qualifying
- Norris flies to fastest time in final practice ahead of Hamilton
- As it happened: 2025 Mexican Grand Prix third practice
- ‘Everything needs to go perfect to the end – but we’ve done it before’ – Verstappen
- Ferrari quick enough to disrupt the battle of the title contenders in Mexico
