MEXICO CITY (AFP) – Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo dominated Friday’s opening practice for this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.
The Dutchman, who is seeking to repeat his 2017 victory at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, clocked a fastest lap in one minute and 16.656 to outpace Ricciardo by 0.4 seconds.
Carlos Sainz was 1.2 seconds adrift, but third fastest, ahead of his Renault team-mate Nico Hulkenberg while the championship chasing Mercedes and Ferrari teams struggled to keep pace.
The top four cars, significantly, were all powered by Renault engines – a rarity that endorsed the view that in the thin air of the 2,200-metres altitude circuit it will be mechanical grip and down-force that trumps power.
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, who needs to outscore Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel by five points to take his fifth title, was fifth ahead of team-mate Valtteri Bottas with Vettel seventh and his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen eight.
