Mexico City GP: Max Verstappen throws down the gauntlet

Red Bull driver shows promise during practice at high altitude track

Red Bull's Max Verstappen at the Mexico City Grand Prix. AP

Max Verstappen continued his Formula One comeback charge with the fastest time in practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix while McLaren rivals struggled.

Red Bull's four times world champion, who has roared back into contention after being 104 points adrift at the end of August, lapped the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in a best time of one minute 17.392 seconds despite complaining the medium tyre was like driving on ice.

The Dutch driver is 40 points adrift of McLaren's Oscar Piastri, and 26 behind the same team's Lando Norris, with five rounds remaining.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, fastest in a sunny first session with nine rookies or reserves replacing regular race drivers in line with regulations to give them track time, was second on the overall timesheets but 0.153 slower.

Verstappen had given up his car to up-and-coming F2 driver Arvid Lindblad for first practice and the Briton looked after it well while still going sixth fastest - best of the non-race drivers.

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli was second and third in the respective sessions, with Norris fourth and 0.251 off the pace after sitting out the first practice while Mexican IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward took his car.

Verstappen has won five races in Mexico, including three of the last four. And he is coming off a win in the United States Grand Prix in Texas last weekend as part of a recent surge.

It wasn't long ago that Verstappen's chances of defending his title had been all but written off. Now another win could put him right back in contention.

“To be honest with you, to still be in this fight is very surprising,” Verstappen said. "Like I said before, we need to be perfect. But for me, it’s just positive pressure."

Verstappen knows the track well — aside from the Red Bull Ring in Austria, it's the only circuit where he has won five races.

The Mexican GP is raced over 71 laps on the 4.304km track of Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, which boasts 17 corners and sits at an altitude of 2,200m above sea level. The thin air generates less downforce, making the car setup more demanding for the teams.

“The circuit tends to suit our car, the high altitude always brings unique challenges,” Verstappen said. “Mexico is always a fun party atmosphere so it will be exciting to round up the doubleheader there.”

Piastri, who crashed in the sprint race and finished in fifth place at Austin, is winless in four races and has not reached the podium since Monza in Italy, when he finished third.

“I think Verstappen has been very consistent in the last few weekends,” the Australian said. “But there’s no benefit worrying about that, the thing that’s going to help me win this championship is trying to get the most out of myself.”