Piastri leads Norris in McLaren practice one-two ahead of qualifying in Mexico City

Oscar Piastri (23) outpaced his title-contending teammate Lando Norris (24) in a McLaren one-two finish during the final practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Saturday.

The Australian driver, who may find himself mathematically eliminated from the championship race following Sunday’s event at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, recorded a fastest lap of one minute 16.492 seconds, with Norris trailing by 0.059 seconds.

Carlos Sainz of Ferrari secured the third position, 0.340 seconds behind, while Max Verstappen, the championship leader from Red Bull, placed fourth, 0.511 seconds off Piastri's time.

Verstappen, who holds a 57-point advantage over Norris with five races left in the season, faced challenges on Friday. However, Red Bull replaced his engine overnight with a previously utilized one, thus avoiding any penalties.

Despite this adjustment, the three-time champion expressed concerns regarding a lack of grip. His teammate, Sergio Perez, who is struggling with form as the local favorite, finished in 14th place after also facing difficulties on Friday.

Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, achieved fifth place for Mercedes, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc rounded out the top six on the timesheets.

George Russell of Mercedes, who experienced a significant crash on Friday, made a comeback with a reconstructed vehicle after the mechanics worked late into the night, exceeding curfew for the second time this season without facing any penalties. He finished in eighth place.

Mercedes confirmed that while the chassis had been replaced, both the power unit and gearbox remained intact.

SportsLigue