Lando Norris (McLaren) topped final practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix with a 1:17.600, just 0.001s clear of Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes). Antonelli will be crowned the youngest world champion in F1 history if he finishes in the top nine on Sunday, so this was the last read on pace before qualifying and the race.
Top 10: three teams inside 0.537s
The timesheets from PlanetF1 and The Race carry identical times and gaps. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was third, 0.117s off Norris. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) was fourth on 1:17.795, and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) fifth, 0.351s back. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) was sixth.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Best lap | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:17.600 | – |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:17.601 | +0.001 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:17.717 | +0.117 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:17.795 | +0.195 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:17.951 | +0.351 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:18.069 | +0.469 |
| 7 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:18.107 | +0.507 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 1:18.109 | +0.509 |
| 9 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:18.113 | +0.513 |
| 10 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:18.137 | +0.537 |
Ferrari quick on mediums, shaky on softs
Crash.net reported that Ferrari looked extremely competitive on the medium tyres, with Leclerc and Hamilton trading fastest times, but appeared to struggle once they switched to softs. Leclerc needed several push laps to set his best time. PlanetF1 wrote that the rest of the field made their soft-tyre runs late in the session, with Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari close together in lap time throughout. Neither outlet reported the weather or a full tyre breakdown.
Two cars without a time, and a Haas swap
Sergio Perez (Cadillac) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) set no time and were classified 21st and 22nd. According to Crash.net, both teams had technical issues and chose precautionary power unit changes, so neither driver completed a lap in FP3. PlanetF1 said only that they were unable to set a timed lap as they prepare for qualifying, without giving a cause.
At Haas, Ryo Hirakawa took over from Esteban Ocon from FP3 for the rest of the weekend and was 19th on 1:19.504. PlanetF1 said the understanding was that Ocon's removal was not due to driver illness, while Crash.net wrote that it came with no explanation on Saturday morning. See our earlier coverage of that story.
The title condition and what comes next
Crash.net noted that Antonelli will be crowned the youngest world champion in F1 history with a top-nine finish on Sunday, even if his closest rival and Mercedes team-mate Russell wins. In FP3 Antonelli was 0.001s off Norris, while Russell was seventh (+0.507). Practice times do not reveal fuel loads or engine modes, so they are not a direct preview of the grid. Qualifying will settle the real order.