Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the benchmark in the opening practice session of the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, edging out Mercedes’ young star Kimi Antonelli and Kick Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg in an action-packed FP1 that featured nine rookie drivers on track.
Rookies Take Center Stage in Mexico City
The session highlighted F1’s rookie mandate, which requires every full-time driver to step aside twice per season for a young driver with no more than two Grand Prix starts. Nine of the ten teams complied, with only Kick Sauber running both race drivers.
Among the debutants were Ferrari’s Antonio Fuoco, Racing Bulls’ Ayumu Iwasa, Williams’ Luke Browning, Mercedes’ Frederik Vesti, Alpine’s Paul Aron, McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, Aston Martin’s Jak Crawford, and Haas’ Ryo Hirakawa. Red Bull handed its car to F2 talent Arvid Lindblad.
Leclerc Leads a Tight Battle Up Front
The early stages saw Haas driver Esteban Ocon briefly on top before Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar traded fastest laps. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli then surged to P1 with a 1:20.035 before Leclerc, on soft tyres, delivered a stunning 1:18.380 to take control of the session.
Nico Hülkenberg impressed in third for Kick Sauber, just 0.380 seconds adrift, while Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the top five. Lindblad, driving Verstappen’s Red Bull, claimed the honour of top rookie in sixth.
Performance Highlights
Leclerc’s Ferrari SF-25 displayed strong one-lap pace, with Antonelli’s Mercedes close behind on consistent runs. The rookie participation added excitement, as teams gathered valuable tyre and balance data ahead of qualifying.
Ferrari and Mercedes appear evenly matched on both medium and soft compounds, while Red Bull’s pace remains a question mark after a data-gathering session focused on setup validation.
Full FP1 Results – 2025 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:18.380 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:18.487 |
| 3 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | 1:18.760 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:18.784 |
| 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1:18.916 |
| 6 | Arvid Lindblad | Red Bull | 1:18.997 |
| 7 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:19.038 |
| 8 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | 1:19.090 |
| 9 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:19.331 |
| 10 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:19.384 |
| 11 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:19.409 |
| 12 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:19.472 |
| 13 | Patricio O’Ward | McLaren | 1:19.680 |
| 14 | Frederik Vesti | Mercedes | 1:19.689 |
| 15 | Paul Aron | Alpine | 1:19.862 |
| 16 | Ryō Hirakawa | Haas | 1:20.073 |
| 17 | Ayumu Iwasa | Racing Bulls | 1:20.153 |
| 18 | Luke Browning | Williams | 1:20.310 |
| 19 | Jak Crawford | Aston Martin | 1:20.371 |
| 20 | Antonio Fuoco | Ferrari | 1:20.854 |
Session Summary
Leclerc’s pace reaffirmed Ferrari’s strong form in high-altitude conditions, while Mercedes continued to impress with its balance and emerging talent. The rookies, particularly Lindblad and O’Ward, made strong cases for future opportunities.
With the track expected to evolve through the weekend, teams will analyze FP1 data closely as focus shifts toward qualifying strategy and race-day tire management.
Source: FIA