Mercedes’ George Russell topped the timesheets in the first practice session for the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, setting a blistering lap of 1:17.998. Russell outpaced Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by 0.317 seconds, but the session saw two red flags, the most notable caused by a collision between Alex Albon of Williams and Ferrari’s Oliver Bearman.
Albon, running on Hard tires, collided with Bearman in the Esses, damaging both cars and bringing the session to a halt. Albon’s Williams was spun into the barriers, causing significant damage, while Bearman’s Ferrari sustained less but was forced to stop.
Behind Russell and Sainz, Yuki Tsunoda took an impressive third for RB/Honda, finishing 0.701 seconds behind. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen struggled with power unit issues and ended the session in fourth.
Other notable performances came from Nico Hülkenberg in P5 and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in sixth. Several reserves and rookies, including 2025 Mercedes recruit Andrea Kimi Antonelli, were given track time. Antonelli finished 12th, while Mexican fan-favorite Pato O’Ward, driving for McLaren, ended in 13th.
Despite the crashes and mechanical issues, the session sets up an exciting weekend in Mexico.
| Pos | Driver | Car |
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 2 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari |
| 3 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Red Bul |
| 5 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas |
| 6 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 7 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine |
| 8 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber |
| 9 | Liam Lawson | RB |
| 10 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull |
| 11 | Franco Colapinto | Williams |
| 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 13 | Patricio O’Ward | McLaren |
| 14 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas |
| 15 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 16 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 17 | Alexander Albon | Williams |
| 18 | Felipe Drugovich | Aston Martin |
| 19 | Robert Shwartzman | Sauber |
| 20 | Oliver Bearman | Ferrari |
Source: FIA
This article was crafted with assistance from Chatgpt
