## RB drivers reflect on high-flying practice performance ### Verstappen sets blistering pace in first practice Red Bull's Max Verstappen set the fastest time in first practice for the Mexican Grand Prix, as he looks to extend his championship lead this weekend. The Dutchman was over half a second clear of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, with Sergio Perez third for Red Bull. Verstappen's time of 1:20.435 was set on a used set of soft tires, and he was the only driver to break the 1:20 barrier. Leclerc was second-fastest on a 1:20.992, but he was unable to match Verstappen's pace on the soft tires. Perez was third-fastest on a 1:21.266, but he was over eight tenths of a second slower than his teammate. The Mexican driver was unable to improve his time on a set of new soft tires, and he finished the session in third place. ### Hamilton struggles in midfield Lewis Hamilton was only ninth-fastest in first practice, as he struggled to match the pace of the Red Bulls and Ferraris. The Mercedes driver was over a second off the pace of Verstappen, and he was also slower than his teammate George Russell. Hamilton's struggles were evident from the start of the session, as he was unable to find a good balance with his car. He was also struggling to generate grip on the soft tires, and he was unable to put together a clean lap. Russell was fifth-fastest in first practice, but he was also over a second off the pace of Verstappen. The Briton was unable to improve his time on a set of new soft tires, and he finished the session in fifth place. ### Practice 2: Perez tops the timesheets Sergio Perez topped the timesheets in second practice for the Mexican Grand Prix, as he continued to show strong form at his home race. The Mexican driver set a time of 1:19.928, which was over half a second faster than his teammate Max Verstappen. Verstappen was second-fastest on a 1:20.403, but he was unable to match Perez's pace on the soft tires. The Dutchman was also struggling to generate grip on the soft tires, and he was unable to put together a clean lap. Charles Leclerc was third-fastest on a 1:20.521, but he was over six tenths of a second slower than Perez. The Ferrari driver was unable to improve his time on a set of new soft tires, and he finished the session in third place. ### Hamilton makes progress in practice 2 Lewis Hamilton made progress in second practice, as he finished the session in fourth place. The Mercedes driver was over a second off the pace of Perez, but he was able to improve his time on a set of new soft tires. Hamilton's progress was evident from the start of the session, as he was able to find a better balance with his car. He was also able to generate more grip on the soft tires, and he was able to put together a cleaner lap. George Russell was fifth-fastest in second practice, but he was also over a second off the pace of Perez. The Briton was unable to improve his time on a set of new soft tires, and he finished the session in fifth place.
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