Mexico City GP: Charles Leclerc dominates first practice from Kimi Antonelli as Ferrari show strong pace

30.10.2026, 21:47 skysports.com

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fastest from champion-elect Kimi Antonelli in first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Leclerc was 0.659s quicker than Antonelli to underline the expectation that Ferrari will be strong at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez due to their small turbo working well at high altitude.

Lewis Hamilton was fourth after a scruffy soft-tyre lap but will be buoyed by his team-mate's pace as Ferrari look to win only their third race of the season.

It should not majorly impact Antonelli on the weekend where he is likely to become world champion on Sunday as he only needs a top-nine finish to secure the drivers' title.

Ten rookies replaced the usual full-time drivers in first practice as most teams took advantage of the relative simplicity of the circuit and it not being a Sprint weekend to fulfil a regulation that a rookie most run in both cars at least twice in the season - only Ferrari ran both regular drivers in the session.

Mercedes reserve driver and 2023 Formula 2 runner-up Frederik Vesti was the best of the rookies in third, less than one tenth behind Antonelli, and Ayumu Iwasa impressed in Max Verstappen's Red Bull in fifth, less than one second off the pace on the medium tyres.

More to follow...

Friday October 308pm: The F1 Show9pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference9.30pm: Mexico City Grand Prix Practice Two (session starts at 10pm)*

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Saturday October 315.15pm: Mexico City Grand Prix Practice Three (session starts at 6.30pm)8pm: Mexico City Grand Prix Qualifying build-up9pm: MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING11pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook

Sunday November 15pm: F1 Academy Race 36.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Mexico City GP build-up8pm: THE MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX*10pm: Chequered Flag: Mexico City GP reaction11pm: Ted's Notebook

*also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 next heads south for the second leg of The Americas triple-header with the Mexico City Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime