The best time of the session was the 1: 18.341 set by Bottas, 76 thousandths better than his teammate Hamilton, who aspired at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to cut the twelve points of advantage that the Dutchman has. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), actual World Cup leader, which marked the third best record.
His teammate ‘Checo’ Pérez set the fourth best time of the sunny morning (20 degrees Celsius, 41 on the asphalt and 35% humidity) on the Mexican track, although he was a co-star of the initial scare of the session.
The setting was turn 16 of the Aztec layout, the penultimate before facing the finish line, a turn to the right of almost 90 degrees that first choked the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and then ‘Checo’ Pérez.
Leclerc ended up under braking, hitting the rear of his vehicle and breaking the wing. He took the Ferrari out easily and had to go to the workshops. Just a few minutes later, the same thing happened to ‘Checo’, who was also able to recover the car and take it to the garages.
By then Bottas was leading the race, with a record of 1: 20.459, which Hamilton later improved at the halfway point of the session (1: 19.789).
The Spanish Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), with their new set of soft tires temporarily placed first – finished sixth, just ahead of his compatriot Fernando Alonso (Alpine) – but Bottas quickly improved his time by more than half a second to set the final 1: 18.834.
In two and a half hours (3:00 p.m. local time, 9:00 p.m. GMT) the action will return to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez with the second free practice session.
Classification of the first free practice session of the Mexican GP.
1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN / Mercedes) 1: 18.341
2. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:18.417
3. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:18.464
4. Sergio Pérez (MEX / Red Bull) 1: 18.610
5. Pierre Gasly (FRA / AlphaTauri) 1: 18,985
6. Carlos Sainz (ESP / Ferrari) 1: 19.463
7. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Alpine) 1:19.656
8. Charles Leclerc (MON / Ferrari) 1: 19.667
9. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine) 1:19.759
10. Sebastian Vettel (ALE / Aston Martin) 1: 19.858
11. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN / AlphaTauri) 1: 20.011
12. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN / Alfa Romeo) 1: 20.026
13. Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin) 1:20.030
14. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS / McLaren) 1: 20.273
15. Lando Norris (GBR / McLaren) 1: 20,301
16. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA / Alfa Romeo) 1: 20.344
17. George Russell (GBR/Williams) 1:20.517
18. Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams) 1:21.580
19. Mick Schumacher (ALE / Haas) 1: 22.144
20. Nikita Mazepin (RUS/Haas) 1:22.819.
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