F1: Carlos Sainz is immediately first in Mexico, but a tile looms

Once again he is ahead of everyone, but there is a tile looming over him.

Carlos Sainz confirmed himself in Mexico, right from the first free practice session ahead of next Sunday’s Grand Prix. Ferrari’s Spaniard, already the author of the pole position at the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, also beat everyone at Friday’s opening session. But his weekend could once again present a major handicap.

As confirmed by ‘Sky Sport,’ in fact, his Ferrari could undergo a new change of components on the Power Unit. And this, as known, would result in Sainz being further relegated on the starting grid of the Mexican Grand Prix than the position he obtained in qualifying. The same fate, in the recent U.S. Grand Prix, had befallen teammate Charles Leclerc.

In any case, the Ferraris proved to be extremely competitive on the dry lap, so much so that Sainz finished first at the end of FP1 (the second session is intended for testing the 2023 Pirelli tires) thanks to a time of 1:20.707. Behind him, just 46 thousandths off, is Leclerc himself. He is followed by the Red Bulls of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, curiously enough authors of the same time: 1:20.827. The Mexican, however, results ahead of his teammate having recorded his time before the 2022 world champion.