What happened: Charles Leclerc set a session-best 1m18.128s lap for Ferrari to lead the opening practice session at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli finished second, 0.659 seconds behind Leclerc, while Frederik Vesti completed the top three with a 1m18.861s. Ten rookie drivers participated in the session as teams satisfied mandatory testing allocations.

Why it matters: Ferrari established early single-lap pace as teams adapted setups to Mexico City's high altitude and thin air. Antonelli enters the weekend positioned to seal the Formula 1 drivers' championship, needing only a ninth-place finish in Sunday's race. Mercedes maximized track data across both cars by running Vesti in George Russell's seat while keeping Antonelli dialed in.

What to watch: Teams return to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the second 60-minute practice session on Friday afternoon. Qualifying takes place Saturday to set the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix.