Sainz, the fastest start in Mexico and Alonso, less than two tenths

Carlos Sainz He is coming off another stroke of bad luck in Austin. There, battling for second behind Verstappen in the first corner, after starting from pole, Russell ended his career in the opening meters by ramming him. He came to the pit lamenting: I don’t know what’s going on this year taught And days later, despite admitting that he was hurt by what happened, he remembered the most important thing: “I’d be more concerned if, above all else, I didn’t have the speed. But I’m one of the fastest people out there and that’s what keeps me motivated and positive.” And he was in charge of showing it from the beginning in Mexico. He was the fastest lap a week ago in the United States, and this time, he started off on the right foot in Free Practice 1, setting the best record in the first free practice sessions and the first day as a whole, since in Free Practice 2 the Teams had to run with an experimental tire as a Pirelli test for 2023.

Carlos Sainz overtook his teammate Charles Leclerc from the start by just 46 thousandthswith the two favorites to win, the Red Bulls, just behind but with plenty of potential in store. ‘Checo’ Pérez was third in 0”120, tracking the time set by his teammate Max Verstappen (4th)with the Lewis Hamilton in fifth position at only 0”142.

Despite this, energy drinks are still the favorite of everything in this track and they seem to have more hidden starting cards. local pilot, ‘Czech’ Perezencouraged by stands of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, wants to go for a historic victory for him and fulfill one of his big dreams. The question is to see if Verstappen You may or may not beat him at home. Ferrari, as in previous races, will once again fight for pole. It will be necessary to see if the little degradation seen in Mexico last year can give wings to the red cars to win on Sunday. Tire management has swung the last 8 races in favor of Red Bull. Ferrari will be fighting it all with Leclerc and a Sainz who is yet to know if he will change his combustion engine here, something that will cost him 5 penalty positions on the grid.

Fernando Alonso, one tenth

The consistency in the first training sessions is huge. So much so, that Fernando Alonso was 0”192 off the best time with his Alpine. The Spaniard is coming off one of the best displays seen this year in his epic comeback in Austin. And again with the points he achieved in the United States in his locker, he started the weekend again very well, in 6th position, only 50 thousandths behind Hamilton.

5 non-starting drivers

For his part, on the other Alpine was Jack Doohan. The son of five-time 500cc World Motorcycle Champion, Mick Doohan, makes his F1 Free Practice debut in the French car to replace Ocon, who will return to the single-seater in Free Practice 2. The Australian is one of many new face in this first session, where Pietro Fittipaldi also drove in Kevin Magnussen’s Haas, Liam Lawson in Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri, Nick de Vries (who will drive for AlphaTauri in 2023) in George Russell’s Mercedes, Sargean in Williams of Albon.

Among them, some did it with engine problems. Jack Doohan had engine trouble with his Alpine which forced him to stop after just 13 laps. A little earlier, Pietro Fittipaldi had the same misfortune with his Haas, after only 9 laps. Liam Lawson also had an engine issue late in the session after 19 laps.