Lando Norris topped third practice for round 19 of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Mexico City with a 1:17.600, beating Kimi Antonelli by just 0.001 seconds. Charles Leclerc was third, 0.117 seconds behind. McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari occupied the top three as the contest for the fastest lap continued into the closing minutes.
Soft-tyre runs separated by 0.001 seconds
According to Formula 1’s official report, the leading drivers began switching to soft tyres for their qualifying-style runs with less than 20 minutes remaining. Antonelli set a 1:17.601 before Norris edged ahead by a thousandth in the final minutes. Leclerc abandoned his first soft-tyre attempt after running wide mid-lap, then made another attempt and ultimately finished third.
Oscar Piastri finished fourth, 0.195 seconds off the lead, followed by Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad completed the top ten. Just 0.030 seconds separated seventh from tenth, while Lindblad was 0.423 seconds ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in eleventh: the gaps varied markedly across this practice order.
Power-unit problems and Hirakawa’s preparation
Two drivers had particularly limited running. Formula 1 reported a power-unit problem for Gabriel Bortoleto’s Audi, with smoke visible as he returned to the pits, while Cadillac made a precautionary power-unit change on Sergio Perez’s car before qualifying. The FIA recorded two laps for Bortoleto and one for Perez, neither with a time.
According to a Haas statement quoted by Formula 1, Ryo Hirakawa replaced Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the weekend and will make his F1 race debut at this event. He completed 32 laps and finished nineteenth on 1:19.504, matching Hulkenberg for the session’s highest lap count. The hour also provided preparation for the rest of the weekend.
FP3 ran from 11:30 to 12:30 local time on October 31, equivalent to 01:30–02:30 on November 1 in Beijing. Norris’s narrow advantage compares this session’s fastest laps, rather than establishing the qualifying order or long-run pace. All 22 drivers’ times and lap totals are included below; qualifying is covered separately.
Complete Mexico City FP3 classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Best lap | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:17.600 | — | 26 |
| 2 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:17.601 | +0.001 | 24 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:17.717 | +0.117 | 21 |
| 4 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:17.795 | +0.195 | 20 |
| 5 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:17.951 | +0.351 | 21 |
| 6 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:18.069 | +0.469 | 18 |
| 7 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:18.107 | +0.507 | 27 |
| 8 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 1:18.109 | +0.509 | 19 |
| 9 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:18.113 | +0.513 | 28 |
| 10 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:18.137 | +0.537 | 29 |
| 11 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 1:18.560 | +0.960 | 32 |
| 12 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:18.652 | +1.052 | 31 |
| 13 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:18.674 | +1.074 | 26 |
| 14 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:18.850 | +1.250 | 25 |
| 15 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:18.927 | +1.327 | 22 |
| 16 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:19.214 | +1.614 | 22 |
| 17 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:19.301 | +1.701 | 26 |
| 18 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:19.376 | +1.776 | 21 |
| 19 | 50 | Ryo Hirakawa | Haas | 1:19.504 | +1.904 | 32 |
| 20 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:20.342 | +2.742 | 22 |
| 21 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | No time | — | 2 |
| 22 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | No time | — | 1 |
