Ferrari's momentum continued into second practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc setting the pace and putting his team firmly in contention. The Monegasque driver clocked a best time of 1:17.827, edging out Lando Norris in the McLaren by just over a tenth. George Russell in the Mercedes was right there too, separated from Norris by a mere three thousandths of a second. It's shaping up nicely for the Scuderia heading into the afternoon, but the session wasn't without its dramas.
More F1 news: Leclerc Leads Mexico Practice One-Two as Verstappen and Lawson's Red Flag Drama Steals the Show
Lewis Hamilton's day took a turn for the worse when his Ferrari suffered a power unit failure. The seven-time world champion was pushing hard and improving his lap when he reported the issue over the radio in the final corners, eventually bringing his SF-26 to a halt after Turn 3. That triggered the Virtual Safety Car while marshals retrieved the car, leaving Hamilton to finish 11th on the timesheets despite not completing a full session. It's a concern Ferrari will want addressed before qualifying, especially with both drivers needing to maximize their opportunities this weekend.
More F1 news: Leclerc Dominates Mexico FP2 Again as Hamilton's Technical Gremlins Strike
The session was also marked by a nasty collision involving Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson near the stadium section. The pair made contact during an overtaking move, with the Racing Bulls driver's front wing taking damage from the incident. The resulting debris scattered across the track forced race control to throw out the red flag, halting proceedings while the marshals cleaned up. Lawson managed to limp back into the top ten with a ninth place finish, while Verstappen ended up fifth, but neither will be happy about the contact.
More F1 news: Leclerc On Top in Mexico FP2 as Verstappen and Lawson Clash at Turn One
Behind the top three, Kimi Antonelli put in a solid showing for Mercedes in fourth, just three hundredths clear of Verstappen. Isack Hadjar rounded out the top six for Red Bull, with Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad and Alpine's Pierre Gasly filling the next two spots. Oscar Piastri completed the top ten for McLaren despite seeming to have one of the quickest cars on the grid. There's clearly plenty of pace throughout the field, and Friday's action suggests Sunday's race could be genuinely competitive.
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