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F1 LIVE | Follow FP2 for the Mexican Grand Prix
It's time for the second free practice session for the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix. However, it will be an alternative session that will last a total of 90 minutes. Pirelli needs to test future Formula 1 tyre compounds and will take over the run plans for the first 60 minutes. The final 30 minutes will be given to drivers, like Lewis Hamilton, who missed out on FP1 due to the rookie driver practice session.
F1 LIVE | FP2 for the Mexican Grand Prix
F1 uses the traditional format (ish)
This triple header of the United States, Mexico and Brazil GPs will feature two sprint weekends. However, in Mexico, the drivers will use the traditional format of three practice sessions, followed by qualifying and the Grand Prix. Therefore, there is less importance on this practice session than there was at COTA last week.
The weather is set to be dry, so teams will be able to find the best setup straight away. This will be particularly important for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell struggled with the balance of the car from the off and never really recovered. Russell did well in the race to recover to P6, but Mercedes changed his car setup overnight. Meanwhile, Hamilton recorded his 32nd career retirement with a spin. Verstappen looked better at COTA but even he admitted changes needed to be made to keep the momentum on McLaren.
Why will Hamilton get an extra 30 minutes?
Many teams opted to field young drivers for FP1 in Mexico. Among others, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc did not participate in the first session. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Robert Shwartzman and Felipe Drugovich drove instead. At McLaren, Pato O'Ward will also have the chance to drive the MCL38.
The F1 drivers who missed FP1 will get to continue for 30 minutes after the Pirelli tyre test to ensure they get some practice time to work on the setup.