Lando Norris set the fastest time in the final Free Practice 3 session ahead of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, narrowly edging out Kimi Antonelli by just 0.001 seconds. Norris’s best lap was recorded at 1:17.600, with Charles Leclerc completing the top three, trailing the McLaren driver by 0.117 seconds.
The session, held on October 31, 2026, featured a competitive field including drivers from McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, Haas, Audi, Aston Martin, Racing Bulls, Alpine, Williams, and Cadillac. Norris’s performance highlighted McLaren’s pace in the final practice, closely matched by Mercedes’s Antonelli and Ferrari’s Leclerc.
Ryo Hirakawa made his Formula 1® debut during this session, stepping in for Esteban Ocon at Haas for the remainder of the weekend. Meanwhile, Gabriel Bortoleto was unable to set a time due to a power unit issue, and Sergio Perez also did not record a lap as a precautionary power unit change was carried out ahead of qualifying.
The session saw drivers pushing their limits, with some incidents including Lewis Hamilton experiencing oversteer and Max Verstappen running wide at one point. Despite these challenges, the top ten was tightly packed, featuring Norris, Antonelli, Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Verstappen, Hamilton, George Russell, Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and Arvid Lindblad.
While Norris’s narrow margin over Antonelli underlines the competitive nature of the session, it is important to note that Free Practice 3 times do not determine qualifying or race outcomes. The session primarily serves as a final opportunity for teams and drivers to fine-tune their setups and gather data ahead of qualifying.
Overall, the FP3 session in Mexico City provided a clear indication of the pace among the leading drivers and teams, with McLaren showing strong form through Norris and Piastri. The debut of Hirakawa added an additional storyline to the weekend, as Haas introduced a new driver to the Formula 1® grid.
With the final practice concluded, attention now turns to qualifying and the race weekend ahead, where the performances from FP3 will be put to the test under more competitive conditions.