Carlos Sainz Jnr, Ferrari, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, 2024

Sainz fastest, Russell crashes, Verstappen fails to set time in tyre test session

Formula 1

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Carlos Sainz Jnr set the fastest time of an extended second practice session in Mexico that was focused on testing tyre compounds.

Sainz was quickest ahead of Oscar Piastri. However championship leader Max Verstappen failed to set a time as the power unit problems he experienced in the first session continued.

The second practice session of the day was an unusual one for several reasons. It was the first opportunity for five drivers who had handed their cars over to junior drivers for the first hour of running: Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso and Zhou Guanyu. The session was also extended to 90 minutes, to allow for teams to test Pirelli’s prototype compounds for 2025.

Drivers were given specific run plans to follow over the session, with compounds split between drivers in the field to try and gain as much representative data as possible for Pirelli.

After Alexander Albon and Oliver Bearman clashed in the opening practice session, both Albon and Leclerc were delayed in starting their sessions as repairs to their cars continued. Verstappen had reported concerns with his power unit in first practice and as the championship leader took to the track, he again reported “disturbing” noises from behind the cockpit, leading to him being called into the pit lane.

Sainz set the early benchmark with a 1’17.809, seven tenths faster than Liam Lawson who was just a tenth ahead of Piastri. But just over 10 minutes into running, the session was stopped when George Russell took too much kerb through turn eight and spun into the TecPro barrier, triggering a red flag. Russell climbed out of his significantly damaged Mercedes and was taken to the medical centre for checks before being cleared and released.

The session resumed after more than 20 minutes of delays for barrier repairs. Verstappen took to the track once more but again reported that everything was not right with his power unit, resulting in him being brought to the garage for an early end to his afternoon.

Drivers continued on their prescribed runs, with Sainz improving on his own best time of the session with a 1’17.669. Piastri also improved, moving up into second. In the closing minutes, the five drivers who had missed the opening practice session had the opportunity to run on a set of medium tyres from their weekend allocation, but when the chequered flag flew Sainz remained the fastest driver.

Yuki Tsunoda finished the session with the third-fastest time set on the prototype 2026 C6 compound, with Leclerc fourth ahead of Norris. Kevin Magnussen was sixth ahead of Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, with Lawson tenth ahead of Alonso. Albon never got out in the session as a result of ongoing repairs to his Williams.

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2024 Mexican Grand Prix second practice result

P. # Driver Team Model Time Gap
1 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Ferrari SF-24 1’17.699
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren-Mercedes MCL38 1’17.877 0.178
3 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB-Honda RBPT 01 1’17.878 0.179
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari SF-24 1’17.887 0.188
5 4 Lando Norris McLaren-Mercedes MCL38 1’17.948 0.249
6 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas-Ferrari VF-24 1’18.239 0.540
7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes W15 1’18.279 0.580
8 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber-Ferrari C44 1’18.351 0.652
9 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB20 1’18.392 0.693
10 30 Liam Lawson RB-Honda RBPT 01 1’18.560 0.861
11 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24 1’18.579 0.880
12 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas-Ferrari VF-24 1’18.621 0.922
13 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine-Renault A524 1’18.656 0.957
14 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR24 1’18.890 1.191
15 43 Franco Colapinto Williams-Mercedes FW46 1’18.908 1.209
16 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine-Renault A524 1’18.942 1.243
17 24 Zhou Guanyu Sauber-Ferrari C44 1’18.980 1.281
18 63 George Russell Mercedes W15 1’19.041 1.342
19 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB20 No time
20 23 Alexander Albon Williams-Mercedes FW46 No time

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2024 Mexican Grand Prix

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Author information

Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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3 comments on “Sainz fastest, Russell crashes, Verstappen fails to set time in tyre test session”

  1. Crawling from the wreckage
    Crawling from the wreckage
    You’d think that by now that
    Merc would get the message

    Sounds like the same problem again with the Mercedes, on a knife edge between being fast and undrivable.

    1. It has not been fast either, at least since Belgium.

    2. I don’t think it is going to happen anymore for Mercedes without Brawn and a strongly favouring set of regulations.

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