Third Free Practice Results 2024 Mexico F1 Grand Prix
Event: Mexico Grand Prix
Track: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Weather: dry 18.1°C
Tarmac: dry 30.5°C
Humidity : 55%
Wind : 5.0 m/s South
McLaren Dominates in Mexico City FP3 as Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes Struggle to Keep Pace
As the 2024 Formula 1 season heats up in Mexico City, McLaren asserted its presence in the third and final practice session, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris showcasing impressive speed. The session provided thrilling insights into potential qualifying battles, with McLaren seeming to emerge as the team to beat.
McLaren Steals the Show
Oscar Piastri led FP3 with a time of 1:16.492, narrowly outpacing teammate Lando Norris by just 0.059 seconds. After an up-and-down performance in Austin, Piastri bounced back strongly on the challenging Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit. Lando Norris also showed marked improvement, positioning himself well in the ongoing battle to keep his championship hopes alive.
Norris’ McLaren looked exceptionally well-balanced, handling the notorious Mexico City kerbs with ease and exiting corners with stability—something the other teams, including Red Bull, seemed to struggle with.
Ferrari vs. McLaren: A Battle to Watch
Ferrari came close but couldn’t quite match McLaren’s blistering pace in FP3. Carlos Sainz, pushing hard to secure a final pole position with Ferrari, finished third, while teammate Charles Leclerc secured sixth. The two Ferrari drivers swapped positions at the top of the timesheets early in the session, keeping fans on their toes. However, a noticeable gap of 0.340 seconds separated Sainz from Piastri, suggesting that McLaren might hold the upper hand heading into qualifying.
Red Bull's Bumpy Ride Continues
Despite Verstappen briefly taking the top spot early on, his car’s performance fell short of expectations. Persistent handling issues saw him settle for fourth, and his frustration was evident over the radio. His teammate, Sergio Perez, had a particularly challenging session, ending in 13th after struggling with multiple lock-ups and an off-track moment that forced him to abandon his lap in the stadium section.
With limited time to resolve their technical woes, Red Bull faces an uphill battle before qualifying, especially with the added pressure of competing in Perez's home race.
Mercedes Lags Behind, Yet Still a Wild Card
Mercedes’ performance in FP3 was also underwhelming, with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell unable to break into the top three. Hamilton finished fifth, experiencing a bumpy ride as he fought to control rear sliding through several turns. Russell, meanwhile, ended up in eighth, still working to regain confidence after a heavy crash in FP2 that led to a chassis change.
Although they appear to be a step behind McLaren and Ferrari, the Mercedes pair remain potential disruptors for a top-six grid spot, especially with traffic expected to shake up qualifying.
Midfield Mayhem: Albon, Bottas, and Tsunoda Impress
Further down the grid, Alexander Albon slotted into a solid tenth, while Franco Colapinto, in only his second full race weekend, secured 12th. Valtteri Bottas showed promise once again, placing his car well within midfield contention. Yuki Tsunoda continued to impress with his pace, finishing seventh and outpacing Russell—a positive outcome for AlphaTauri as they seek to challenge the midfield hierarchy.
A Tense Qualifying Ahead
With traffic and a high chance of upsets in qualifying, the stage is set for an intense session later today. The Red Bull team will work frantically to iron out their issues and provide Verstappen and Perez with competitive setups. Meanwhile, Ferrari, Mercedes, and especially McLaren appear poised to make the most of their advantages.
Qualifying kicks off at 15:00 local time, with fans eager to see if McLaren’s practice dominance will translate into pole position.
Quickest Sector Times
The quickest sector times during FP3 were set by:
- Sector 1: 27.261 sec. by Carlos Sainz with the Ferrari SF-24.
- Sector 2: 29.441 sec. by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL38.
- Sector 3: 19.655 sec. by Oscar Piastri with the McLaren MCL38.
The quickest lap time of last years FP3 was a 1:17,887 min driven by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB19.
FP3 Times Table 2024 Mexico F1 GP
| P | No | Driver | Team | Time | 1st Gap | Laps | Tyres |
| 1 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:16,492 | 17 | S | |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:16,551 | +0,059s | 17 | S |
| 3 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:16,832 | +0,340s | 21 | S |
| 4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:17,003 | +0,511s | 26 | S |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:17,060 | +0,568s | 20 | S |
| 6 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:17,232 | +0,740s | 23 | S |
| 7 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 1:17,302 | +0,810s | 19 | S |
| 8 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:17,341 | +0,849s | 27 | S |
| 9 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:17,474 | +0,982s | 19 | S |
| 10 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:17,494 | +1,002s | 22 | S |
| 11 | 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:17,511 | +1,019s | 19 | S |
| 12 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | 1:17,639 | +1,147s | 24 | S |
| 13 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Williams | 1:17,712 | +1,220s | 17 | S |
| 14 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 1:17,787 | +1,295s | 18 | S |
| 15 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:17,798 | +1,306s | 23 | S |
| 16 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas | 1:17,819 | +1,327s | 20 | S |
| 17 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:17,900 | +1,408s | 26 | S |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:18,324 | +1,832s | 19 | S |
| 19 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | 1:18,428 | +1,936s | 17 | S |
| 20 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:18,454 | +1,962s | 20 | S |
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