F1 Mexico GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP2
Minute-by-minute updates for FP2 for the 2024 Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix
The Mexico Grand Prix hosts the second part of the Americas Formula 1 triple-header as the championship begins the run-up to its climax.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz earned Ferrari a 1-2 at the Circuit of the Americas last weekend but much of the focus was on the controversy behind as Max Verstappen inherited third from title rival Lando Norris - the McLaren driver penalised for overtaking off-track.
George Russell topped first practice at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez after a crash between Alex Albon and Oliver Bearman triggered red flags, but now weekend data gathering is pushed to one side as Pirelli conducts a tyre test. FP2 gets under way at 11pm BST.
Live Standings
Live Text
With that we'll call time on this extended FP2 coverage. Thanks for sticking with us throughout the day and never fear we'll be back for FP3 and qualifying on Saturday, with final practice starting at 6:30pm BST. Until then, go well!
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
That's your lot for today's track action, as a few practice starts round the running out. The Mexico GP FP2 Pirelli tyre test. It was a thing that happened.
Hamilton doesn't improve on his personal best from the test tyre running with a 1m19.030s, while Alonso steps up his pace fractionally with a 1m18.579s but stays 11th overall. That's your lot!
Hamilton gets enough time for one timed lap on his yellow-walled medium tyres, but Leclerc just missed out so it is an out-lap and an in-lap for him.
Hamilton and Leclerc join the medium tyre runners to complete the set with two minutes to go.
Norris duly uses his medium tyres to go fifth fastest for McLaren, while Alonso pops up to 11th on the same compound.
The five drivers who sat out FP1 for rookie drivers are permitted ot run mediums tyres at the end of this session once their test tyre running is completed. That's why Zhou, Alonso and Norris have made the switch in the final five minutes.
Zhou has just gone out on the weekend’s medium tyres - the first driver to do so.
Hamilton has some tape caught on the bottom of his rear wing that is flapping around. That's not part of the Mercedes upgrade package, for the record.
Dad watch: We've had our third dad of the day (for those following along in FP1, you lot know). Carlos Sainz Sr gets shown at the back of the Ferrari garage.
A night race in Mexico would be hell for all those in Europe, but I'm sure it'd look very cool seeing F1 cars dart through the stadium section as the natural light fades. Granted, we shouldn't wish away day light racing - after Brazil next weekend that is your lot for 2024 with Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi all night races.
It is fair to say we've hit a lull in terms of excitement for this session. Laps are still being notched up by the 17 drivers left in action and still no sign of Albon despite the Williams mechanics working hard to repair his car in time to take some part in this session.
The photographers will be happy though, the sun is starting to dip over the circuit so there will be light and shadow to play with at different parts of the track. We'll look forward to those snaps in due course.
Norris and Alonso get into an impromptu race for half a lap, with Alonso not wanting to yield to the McLaren driver, but eventually has to concede the place. That's about as exciting as it'll get for the final part of this extended session with 26 minutes to go.
Earlier Zhou also mentioned he could smell burning. That burning he is describing is likely coming from his brake cooling being too marginal right now for Sauber - the lack of oxygen in the thin air here means the brakes just won’t work properly without added cooling and unlike engine maps that can be set to produce less power around the overheating common here, the brakes just get so stressed lap after lap.
"My engine is cutting guys. I don't know if you guys don't see it, but I'm feeling it cutting," Zhou reports on Sauber team radio. Survival of the fittest today.
So, this session is effectively three drivers down - Russell, Verstappen and Albon - but there is still plenty of lappery going on. The lap times have pushed up to 1m22s and 1m23s which shows all drivers are on long runs on their respective test tyres.
Mercedes has provided an update on Russell after his heavy crash: "He's been released from the medical centre and is back in the hospitality. He's physically okay but it was a significant impact."
It does appear Verstappen's day is over with his Red Bull up on the jacks. He's completed a total of 18 laps over the two sessions today.
Here's the developing story on Russell's FP2 crash.
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Robert Shwartzman, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Well, not Leclerc, who is playing catch-up having missed the start of the session. The Ferrari driver pops up to fourth place on the timesheet with a 1m17.887s, just 0.188s off Sainz.
It appears the prescribed performance runs are over for this part of the tyre test as everyone pits together. Sainz remains on top from Piastri and Tsunoda.
Verstappen is out of his Red Bull and he has taken his gloves off, which is a telltale sign of a long break - perhaps even a session-ending one?
More bad news for Verstappen, as he is told to pit again with the same engine issue from earlier. Could this force an engine change and a potential grid penalty if he needs elements out of his current parts pool?
Sainz tops the times so far with a 1m17.699s ahead of Piastri, Tsunoda and Magnussen.
Leclerc takes to the track for the first time this weekend, having had Bearman in his Ferrari in FP1 during its unprompted Albon meeting. Still no sign of the Anglo-Thai driver as his car is being rebuilt.
And off we go again, as the track returns to green flag conditions. Unsurprisingly plenty of early takers, and just missing Perez, Gasly, Verstappen, Albon and, of course, Russell.
Good news! The barriers are repaired and the session will restart in one minute.
The fans are keeping themselves entertained by dancing to the music over the PA speakers during this pause. Everyone is in good spirits at least.
The barrier is being repaired by the marshals but still no word of a restart time for the session. Just an hour to go...
Whoops, the marshals using the crane tap the Mercedes next to the wall when putting it behind the barrier. It was damaged enough already, guys.
That's one mangled Mercedes. The track marshals recover Russell's car which has a destroyed right-side and sidepods while the front wing has been whipped off.
Replays reveal what went wrong: Russell asked for more grip from the Turn 8 kerbs but his car bottomed out over the kerb which has spat him around for a one-way ticket into the barrier. He hits it side-on with a mighty whack. The Brit has been taken straight to the medical centre.
The medical car has been deployed due to the force of the hit. Russell is out of the car and walking around but he is being checked over by the FIA medical team.
Well, nobody is getting track time now - Russell has crashed heavily at Turn 9 and that has caused a red flag.
Verstappen only completed an out-lap and then the first corner of a timed lap before bailing out, as he also suffered a brake issue before reporting the engine problem. So we're missing the Dutch driver, Leclerc and Albon.
"I'm still hearing that weird noise with the engine," Verstappen recalls over team radio. "This noise is very disturbing, it cannot be normal." He's told to pit.
We've spotted Alonso for the first time this weekend, having missed his Thursday media duties through illness and then he sat out FP1 for Drugovich. Aston is celebrating his 400th F1 race, despite it not being his 400th grand prix start. But let's not start that argument now.
By: Haydn Cobb
