F1 Mexico City Grand Prix updates: Max Verstappen, Alex Albon top timesheets in FP1; follow FP2 live

Mexico City Grand Prix free practice 1 results

1. Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT 1:19.718

2. Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes +.095

3. Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT +.297

4. Lando Norris (14), McLaren-Mercedes +.595

5. Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari +.579

6. Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes +745

7. Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari +.761

8. Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT +850

9. Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault +.959

10. Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes +.969

11. Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes +1.006

12. Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari +1.250

13. Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari +1.411

14. Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes +1.439

15. Oliver Bearman (50), Haas-Ferrari +1.595

16. Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes +1.629

17. Isack Hadjar (41), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT +2.223

18. Jack Doohan (61), Alpine-Renault +2.391

19. Frederik Vesti (42), Mercedes +3.219

20. Theo Pourchaire (98), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari no time

Rookies at the Mexico City Grand Prix

Due to F1’s rookie mandate – whereby each team has to make two free practice sessions per season available to drivers who have completed less than two grands prix – a number of new faces were on the track:

• Ollie Bearman drove Kevin Magnussen’s Haas
• Jack Doohan drove Pierre Gasly’s Alpine
• Theo Pourchaire drove Valtteri Bottas’ Alfa Romeo
• Frederik Vesti drove George Russell’s Mercedes
• Isack Hadjar drove Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri

All five are currently competing in Formula 2 with Pourchaire sitting atop the points standings, 25 points ahead of Vesti. Bearman set the fastest time in Friday afternoon’s opening practice session, turning a 1:21.313, good for 15th place just ahead of veteran Fernando Alonso. Next were Hadjar (P17), Doohan (P18) and Vesti (P19). Pourchaire struggled with technical issues on out laps throughout the session and did not post a flying time.

Mexico City Grand Prix preview

The F1 season continues its tour of the Americas this weekend in the heart of Mexico with the Mexico City Grand Prix.

While Max Verstappen has already wrapped up the world drivers’ championship and his Red Bull team the constructors’, there are still some compelling races in both categories to be decided in the final four Grands Prix of the season. Lewis Hamilton’s chances at catching Sergio Perez for second place took a big hit with his disqualification from last weekend’s United States Grand Prix, but is still attainable.

Perez is hoping that the 300,000-plus strong crowd anticipated for the weekend can help him to a career-first — a win in his home race.

Here’s what else to know ahead of the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix:

Mexico City Grand Prix TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Friday
2:25 – 3:30 p.m.: Free practice 1 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
5:55 – 7 p.m.: Free practice 2 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)

Saturday
1:25 – 2:30 p.m.: Free practice 3 (ESPNNews, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
4:55 – 6 p.m.: Qualifying (ESPNNews, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)

Sunday
2:30 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.: Pre-race show (ABC, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
3:55 – 6 p.m.: Mexico City Grand Prix (ABC, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)

Mexico City Grand Prix details

Track: Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez | 2.674-mile, 17-turn permanent racing facility in Mexico City
Race length: 71 laps
Lap record: 1:17.774 (Valtteri Bottas, 2021, Mercedes)
Tire compounds: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft)
2022 winner: Max Verstappen, Red Bull-RBPT

Pirelli tire test at the Mexico City Grand Prix

Those who tune in for Friday’s practice sessions will likely hear the commentary box talking about an experimental tire being tested. That’s because Pirelli has given each team two sets of a new C4 compound prototype tire and asked them to run each at points throughout the sessions so they can gauge the wear.

“Once we have analyzed all the data, we will then decide whether or not to homologate this version for use in 2024,” Mario Isola, Pirelli head of motorsport, wrote in the supplier’s pre-weekend briefing.

Top drivers and best bets for the Mexico City Grand Prix

You know whose game it is at this point. In addition to Max Verstappen’s imperious pace over the last three seasons, the aerodynamic advantage of the Red Bull is amplified in the thin air of Mexico City’s 7,350 feet of elevation. Verstappen is a heavy favorite at -175 (according to BetMGM) with Lewis Hamilton nearest him on the board at +500, but that isn’t quite the gap we’ve seen previously in the season.

Best odds to win
• Max Verstappen -175
• Lewis Hamilton +500
• Charles Leclerc +800
• George Russell +800

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg wrote earlier in the week on the props market. In addition to betting Verstappen to win — as one always should, even with a negative moneyline — Bromberg likes Lewis Hamilton to bag a second straight podium finish (-165) and Lando Norris to beat hometown hero Sergio Perez to the checkered flag Sunday (+100). If you’re looking to take a flier, Charles Lecerc is +800 to win pole and, with Ferrari’s straight-line qualifying pace, it could happen.

2023 F1 drivers’ standings

1. Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT – 466*
2. Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT – 240
3. Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes – 201
4. Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes – 183
5. Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari – 171
6. Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes – 159
7. Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari – 151
8. George Russell (63), Mercedes – 143
9. Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes – 83
10. Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault – 56
11. Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes – 53
12. Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault – 44
13. Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes – 25
14. Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari – 10
15. Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari – 9
16. Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari – 6
17. Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 8
18. Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari – 3
19. Liam Lawson (40), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 2
20. Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes – 1
21. Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 0
22. Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 0
* — Clinched world championship

Mexico City Grand Prix weather

​​The forecast calls for variable cloud cover throughout the weekend with high temperatures in the mid-70s. There is a 51% chance of precipitation during Friday’s practice session and the region of Mexico in which Distrito Federal sits is prone to quickly forming thunderstorms. But with lower temperatures, cloud cover forecast and the historically smooth Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez pavement, tire wear shouldn’t be much of a concern.