Mexico City GP: Norris edges Hamilton in final practice

Lando Norris sent a statement ahead of this afternoon’s qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix by topping the timesheets in the final practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, leaving his championship rivals trailing.

The McLaren driver produced a 1m16.633s lap in the final minutes to finish three tenths clear of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, with Mercedes’ George Russell clicking in third.

Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen could manage only fifth and sixth, as both title contenders appeared to lack the grip and rhythm shown by the Briton.

• Mexico City Grand Prix Free Practice 3 - Results

Slow Start Before the Storm

The sixty-minute session began in subdued fashion under the thin high-altitude air of Mexico City, with grip levels low and lap times unrepresentative.

Verstappen logged the first meaningful effort – a 1m18.914s on medium tyres – but the early benchmark was soon slashed as the track evolved.

Hamilton threatened to eclipse Verstappen’s time before running wide in Sector 2, still wrestling with braking issues that have hampered his Ferrari all weekend.

Carlos Sainz briefly put Williams on top with a 1m18.028s on softs, before Norris responded with a tidy 1m18.015s despite a scruffy opening push lap that featured a lock-up at Turn 1.

Russell then became the first to dip below the 1m18s barrier on mediums, setting a 1m17.892s as teams waited for the switch to the grippier C5 soft compound expected to dominate qualifying.

Late Simulations Shake Up the Order

With 15 minutes remaining, the session erupted into a flurry of qualifying simulations. Williams’ Alex Albon looked set to challenge for the top before a lock-up in the Foro Sol stadium section ended his run.

A carousel of names briefly led the board – including Isack Hadjar, Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Hamilton – before Norris delivered a commanding lap that proved untouchable.

Behind him, Hamilton settled for second, Russell took third, and Leclerc pipped Piastri for fourth. Verstappen, meanwhile, endured a subdued session in sixth, blaming poor grip and a conservative engine mode for his lack of pace.

As qualifying looms, Norris heads in with momentum – and the growing sense that his title rivals may be playing catch-up in Mexico.

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