An extended FP2 session saw red flags, and tyre testing. Carlos Sainz lead the way, hoping to make it back-to-back wins for Ferrari. In case you missed it, here’s what happened in F1 FP2 Mexican GP 2024.
Early Session Drama and Red Flags – F1 FP2 Mexican GP 2024
The session began with high tensions following an incident-packed FP1. Albon and Bearman’s FP1 collision set back Albon’s car preparation, with Williams racing against the clock to complete an engine and gearbox change. On the other hand, Leclerc was able to get out relatively quickly as Bearman borrowed his car for FP1. As the session progressed, Albon never got running in FP2 and all sights will be set on the FP3 and qualifying sessions tomorrow.
Red Bull face issues
Red Bull’s drivers had mixed fortunes under the challenging conditions. Sergio Perez, riding high on the energy of his home crowd, maintained a strong pace despite some mechanical concerns. He reported a “stiff brake pedal,” yet he powered through, setting an impressive 1:19.056 on the same prototype tyres as Piastri ahead.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen’s struggles seemed to persist from FP1, where he faced a series of engine issues. Verstappen reported a “weird noise” from his car and was soon called back to the pits, as Red Bull investigated what seemed to be ongoing reliability concerns. Earlier, he had voiced frustration over brake issues, exclaiming, “What the hell, the brakes didn’t work at all,” alongside complaints about the noise he described as “disturbing.”
Red Flags brought out
A dramatic moment saw George Russell’s Mercedes slam into the barriers at Turn 9, triggering a red flag with an hour and fifteen minutes left on the clock. Russell’s car slid sideways into the barrier with significant impact, prompting a swift deployment of the Medical Car. Thankfully, Russell was able to walk to the car unaided, though visibly shaken. The incident left his car in rough shape, with extensive damage to the floor, suspension, engine cover, and both wings.
The Mercedes team faces a considerable task to repair his car before tomorrow. As the red flag halted proceedings, the top three stood with Carlos Sainz leading the timesheets with a 1:17.809, followed by Liam Lawson at +0.751 and Oscar Piastri close behind at +0.829.
Top Performers Amidst Difficult Conditions
Once the track cleared, drivers focused on Pirelli’s tire test, though many struggled with the circuit’s high altitude. Carlos Sainz ultimately topped the timesheets with a 1:17.699, followed by Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda, who were both just tenths behind.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, continued to experience issues, particularly with his engine. The Red Bull team called him to box and they began to take a part the car to determine the issues that have been hindering Verstappen throughout the 2 sessions today. The Dutchman will take no more running in the session, making tomorrow’s final practice session invaluable for him.
Overheating issues continue
Overheating continued to play a part for several teams due to the circuit’s altitude. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon both reported burning smells, with Ocon’s car showing early signs of brake and engine temperature concerns. Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu echoed similar frustrations, experiencing brake overheating and engine cutouts in the final sector. Teams will be hoping they can fix these problems before qualifying and the race in the coming days.
Carlos Sainz tops the FP2 session
Lando Norris finished up his program and was able to switch to medium tyres, finishing with a 1:17.948 on his first timed lap. While Alonso and Zhou also tried out mediums, managing to run in the 1:18 range.
The final FP2 leaderboard saw Sainz in P1 with his 1:17.699, Piastri in P2 with a 1:17.877, and Tsunoda just 0.001 seconds behind in P3.
With Red Bull having issues this weekend, the fight looks certain between Ferrari and Mclaren. With places still up for grabs in the championships, this race will be vital.
F1 returns tomorrow for FP3 and an ever important qualifying session.
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F1 FP2 Mexican GP