Hamilton fears Ferrari power unit damage after Mexico FP2 failure

Lewis Hamilton is hoping his Ferrari power unit has escaped serious damage after an engine failure ended his second practice at the Mexican Grand Prix after just 28 minutes on Friday, October 31.

Hamilton lost power on the start-finish straight and brought his car to a halt beyond Turn 3 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Ferrari was still investigating the cause after the session, leaving the seven-time champion uncertain about the state of the unit ahead of Saturday.

Hamilton lost a promising run and valuable long-run data

Before the failure, Hamilton had looked competitive. He was quickest on the hard tyre and running among the top five, but his early stop left him 11th in the final FP2 classification. He also missed out on the long-run work he had expected to complete.

Hamilton said the car had felt strong and that Ferrari had made progress with its set-up. He believes the team is competitive, but admitted the lost track time means he cannot yet judge where he stands. Overtaking is difficult at the circuit, he noted, making the starting position particularly important.

The interruption compounded a limited opening session. Hamilton completed 25 laps in FP1, spending its first half running an aero rake on his SF-26. Ferrari had chosen to have him drive in Mexico rather than allocate the session to a young driver, as many other teams did.

That leaves Hamilton feeling behind schedule, despite his confidence that only small set-up changes may be needed. He also said he had already noticed a loss of power earlier in the lap, even while the car remained quick. Ferrari's investigation will determine whether the issue threatens his preparations further.

Leclerc gives Ferrari a strong platform for Saturday

While Hamilton's running was cut short, Charles Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions for Ferrari. The team therefore enters FP3 and qualifying with encouraging pace, though Hamilton said the car appeared capable of challenging near the front row.

The priority for Hamilton is to make the most of Saturday with whatever equipment is available. His truncated Friday adds a fresh complication to his broader Ferrari campaign, while the lost mileage leaves less evidence to guide his next steps.

Ferrari's update on the power unit will be central to Hamilton's prospects. He can take confidence from the pace shown before the failure, but the team has yet to establish what went wrong or confirm whether the unit is fully healthy. His SF-26 fresh-start hopes now meet an immediate test: recovering from a Friday disrupted by a mechanical problem.