Carlos Sainz recorded the quickest time during an FP2 session at the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix which saw an extensive delay due to George Russell crashing.
The second practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez included an additional 30 minutes to allow Pirelli to conduct a 2025 tyre test in the opening hour.
Pirelli brought two iterations of its three softest compounds – including a brand-new C6 tyre – to evaluate the constructions that it plans to sign off for the next season.
Less than 15 minutes into proceedings, George Russell, who crashed in Austin last weekend, produced a red flag when he lost his Mercedes and hit the wall at Turn 9.
The Briton was shown to have unsettled the car over a kerb at Turn 8 as he negotiated the esses, rendering him a passenger as he was pitched into a high-speed spin.
The session restarted with around an hour remaining due to barrier repairs, all but ensuring that FP2 comprised as much running as usual due to the stoppage length.
Once the cars were permitted to head back out onto the track, Sainz headed the timesheets with a 1:17.699s to end up under two-tenths faster than McLaren’s Piastri.
Yuki Tsunoda repeated his impressive earlier outing in the RB to log third place again, while Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari was nine thousandths back in fourth.
Lando Norris, who sat out FP1, completed the top five in the other McLaren, while Kevin Magnussen was able to propel his Haas car up into an impressive sixth place.
Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton, continuing to run Mercedes’ latest upgrades this weekend, ending up in sixth position in the single W15 charger still circulating at the end.
Sauber remains the sole team still to score a point this season, but Valtteri Bottas delivered some encouragement as he produced a lap that saw him take eighth spot.
Sergio Perez was ninth, but it was a nightmare for Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen, who conducted two laps until a recurring engine glitch ended his involvement.
Liam Lawson ensured that both RB drivers made it into the top 10, despite being over six-tenths slower than Tsunoda, who is set to pilot Red Bull’s RB20 in Abu Dhabi.
Aston Martin’s underwhelming recent run is poised to continue as Fernando Alonso, making his 400th F1 appearance, was 11th, while Lance Stroll languished in 14th.
Nico Hulkenberg was on the outskirts in 12th place – unable to equal Magnussen’s impressive effort – with Esteban Ocon fronting Alpine’s endeavours in 13th position.
Franco Colapinto in the Williams was next up in 15th place overall, as team-mate Alex Albon was unable to leave the garage due to the vast crash he sustained in FP1.
Behind Colapinto were Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Guanyu Zhou in the second Sauber in 16th and 17th places respectively as Verstappen and Albon brought up the rear.
READ MORE – F1 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix – FP2 Results
