Max Verstappen and George Russell encountered a challenging second practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix, each suffering setbacks that disrupted their runs in notably different ways.
Verstappen’s troubles began toward the end of the first practice session when his Red Bull started experiencing power unit issues. With only a few minutes remaining, Verstappen radioed in, remarking, “There’s something wrong with the engine. It’s not nice. There’s no power.” Red Bull attributed this to an air leak, but the problem persisted in the second session. Verstappen, only managing four laps without setting a time, continued to hear a “weird noise” in the engine, describing it as “very disturbing” and far from normal. Despite repairs attempted by the team, his session was cut short as the car returned to the garage.
Meanwhile, George Russell’s difficulties were of a more physical nature, as he endured a significant crash early in the practice. Just 12 minutes in, Russell’s Mercedes suffered a high-impact 30g crash at Turn 8 after he lost control of the car, which bottomed out over the kerb. This sent him spinning off at Turn 9 and into a Tecpro barrier at high speed. His car sustained considerable damage, marking Russell’s second major incident within a week, following a crash during qualifying at the United States GP, which led to a pit lane start due to required component changes.
The crash clearly took a toll on Russell, who was seen exiting his car with care, holding his ribs in evident discomfort. He was taken to the medical center for a precautionary evaluation and was subsequently released after passing the checks. The impact, however, underscored the rough start for both drivers ahead of the weekend’s main events.
These incidents reflect the challenges that even elite drivers like Verstappen and Russell face in maintaining performance under high-stress conditions. With a high-speed circuit like Mexico City, even minor issues can escalate quickly, leading to significant setbacks for the teams involved. For Red Bull and Mercedes, ensuring their cars are ready for the next session is now a top priority as they aim to make the most of the weekend’s racing opportunities.