Lando Norris edges Antonelli by a thousandth in Mexico FP3

Lando Norris claimed the fastest time of the weekend so far in final practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix, edging Kimi Antonelli by just 0.001 seconds in a tight finish before qualifying.

Norris clocked 1:17.600, with Antonelli’s 1:17.601 leaving the Mercedes driver second. Charles Leclerc placed third, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen, who completed the top five.

The close contest follows the pair’s earlier Madring pole battle. Antonelli had set the session’s quickest time moments before Norris went faster by the narrowest of margins.

Norris takes control after a changing order

The session began slowly, as drivers looked to recover running time lost earlier in the weekend. Nico Hulkenberg set the initial benchmark at 1:20.572, before the pace increased and Pierre Gasly briefly moved to the front.

The Ferraris then featured prominently, with Leclerc repeatedly exchanging the lead with team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli and George Russell also moved into the leading group as lap times fell into the 1:18s.

With soft tyres in use during the closing phase, Russell went fastest on a 1:18.107. Norris soon bettered that mark, and Piastri followed him onto the timing board. Antonelli then produced a 1:17.601, only for Norris to take the top spot by one thousandth.

Audi and Cadillac lose valuable track time

There was little running for Gabriel Bortoleto, whose Audi completed only two laps before a technical issue ended his session. The team confirmed it was investigating a problem, after difficulties had also affected its weekend earlier.

At Cadillac, Sergio Perez managed just one lap. A precautionary power unit change was being carried out on his car, leaving the home driver without a representative time as the session approached its end.

Haas replacement driver Ryo Hirakawa finished 19th, almost six tenths and four positions behind team-mate Ollie Bearman. His outing marked his second time in the car this weekend, after stepping in for Esteban Ocon.

Antonelli’s run to second came amid attention on his recent form; read more about the pressure surrounding his Mercedes performances. Norris, meanwhile, heads into qualifying from the top of the final practice timesheets, though the session offered a mixed picture behind him as Audi and Cadillac dealt with interrupted running.