The Mexican GP weekend has finally started and the countdown to the last five races of the season has started. The F1 cars hit the asphalt after two years on the Autodromo; With tensions at an all-time high, the final timesheet of the session gave us the perfect glimpse into what the weekend will have in store for us. Mercedes ended up with the advantage, with Red Bull close behind.
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The temperature and dust on the track continued to cause problems for the drivers. On the way across the track, the dust and temperatures made it difficult for the drivers to find grip. As a result, the safety car was out for the first few minutes of the session.
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Charles Leclerc was the first to break into the wall and rather slowly toss into the barriers of the Peraltada. When Leclerc walked into the Ferrari garage with a broken wing, Sergio Perez also spun into the walls at turn 16.
However, when the dust cleared, the cars soon picked up speed.
Red Bull falls short at the Mexican GP
Home hero Sergio Perez was absent for a while; it looked like he had to stay out of the FP1. However, the Red Bull mechanics worked their magic and the Mexican was soon back on track. Max Verstappen took his usual place at the top of the timesheets in the static session. In the end, however, it was Bottas who set the time.
Formula 1 F1 – Mexican Grand Prix – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico – November 5, 2021 Max Verstappen from Red Bull and Valtteri Bottas from Mercedes in action during training REUTERS / Andres Stapff
Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were battling for grip earlier in the session, which resulted in Lewis going straight into Turn One. The incident will be investigated after the meeting; but Hamilton simply argued, “Couldn’t slow down there.” Bottas also had a similar incident on Turn 1.
It was interesting, however, that the best times kept changing between Mercedes and Red Bull. Even though Mercedes ended the session in the lead, the FP1 only showed that this time around it could be anyone’s game.
Midfield fight will be interesting
As Round 18 approaches, new engine penalties will be confirmed. For now, Tsunoda, Stroll and Perez will get new engine parts in Mexico. However, only Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll will collect grid penalties.
Formula 1 F1 – Mexican Grand Prix – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico – November 5, 2021 AlphaTauris Pierre Gasly in action during practice REUTERS / Henry Romero
However, it was up to their teammates to show the pace of the cars. Pierre Gasly and Sebastian Vettel had an incredible session in Mexico. At the start of the session, with the rear wings flying all over the place, Pierre Gasly took a suitable place at the top of the ranking, ousting Valtteri Bottas.
The AlphaTauris also showed an unbelievable speed, Gasly finished the session in 5th place and Tsunoda in 11th place. Sebastian Vettel also found himself in the top 10 and drove fast lap times in the Aston Martin.
The team that struggled the most in this session was Alpine, who are currently holding on to P5 in the constructors’ battle. The team arrives in Mexico after a double DNF in America and struggles to find speed in the Autodromo.
Kimi Raikkonen pulled a Hamilton and made the similar mistake of not using the bollard when exiting Turn 1. His incident is also picked up by the stewards after the session.
Ferrari outperforms McLaren rivals
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It was a relatively quiet session for the midfielder. The Prancing Horses looked stronger than their rivals, and their finishing positions only confirm Ferrari’s new upgrades as successes.
Formula 1 F1 – Mexican Grand Prix – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico – November 5, 2021 Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. in action during practice REUTERS / Henry Romero
McLaren was predictably slower than their rivals; due to the fact that the racetrack favored Ferrari and their engine upgrades were just a miraculous boost. At the beginning of the weekend, the battle for P3 on the board gets interesting.
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As the first session of the weekend comes to an end, Mercedes showed their temporary dominance on Red Bull’s home stadium. However, this is only the first lap around the Autodromo; the Mexican GP weekend can bring something unexpected.
Check out this story:5 F1 Crashes That Astounded the World
The post Mexican GP FP1 report: Lewis Hamilton is under investigation for threat of penalty for track violation first appeared on monter-une-startup.
