News Summary
- The Mexican Grand Prix begins today, Friday, October 30, with FP1 and FP2 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
- FP1 starts at 2:30pm Eastern and 11:30am Pacific, while FP2 begins at 6:00pm Eastern and 3:00pm Pacific.
- Friday practice includes several rookie drivers, while Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli arrives with an opportunity to secure the 2026 World Championship.
Formula 1 returns to North American television screens today, Friday, October 30, with the opening practice sessions for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix. FP1 starts at 2:30pm Eastern Time in the United States and eastern Canada, followed by FP2 at 6:00pm Eastern.
The championship has moved from Austin to Mexico City for the next round, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli leading the Drivers’ Championship following his victory at the United States Grand Prix.
What time are FP1 and FP2 today in the United States?
| Time zone | FP1 — Friday | FP2 — Friday |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (EDT) | 2:30pm | 6:00pm |
| Central (CDT) | 1:30pm | 5:00pm |
| Mountain (MDT) | 12:30pm | 4:00pm |
| Pacific (PDT) | 11:30am | 3:00pm |
Each session lasts one hour.
Friday’s schedule also applies to Canadian locations using the same offsets, including Toronto and Montreal on Eastern Time and Winnipeg on Central Time. Viewers should use their local time-zone rules, particularly in regions with different daylight-saving arrangements.
Who is driving during Friday practice?
The first session features several changes to the usual race line-up.
Colton Herta returns to the Cadillac cockpit in place of Valtteri Bottas, with the American seeking additional Formula 1 experience.
Frederik Vesti will drive George Russell’s Mercedes, Freddie Slater replaces Gabriel Bortoleto at Audi, and Jak Crawford takes Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin.
Alpine will run Gabriele Minì, Williams has selected Luke Browning, and Racing Bulls has announced Nikola Tsolov.
The substitutions are part of teams’ rookie-driver programmes. The regular race drivers are expected to return for FP2.
The full explanation of Mexico’s FP1 driver changes includes the affected teams and the reasons for the substitutions.
What should fans watch during Mexico practice?
The circuit’s 2,240-metre altitude creates challenges for cooling and aerodynamic efficiency.
Friday will also be important for Antonelli, who missed Thursday’s media commitments because of a viral illness.
Mercedes said it expected him to return on Friday. His participation remains subject to any subsequent team announcement.
The Italian leads Russell by 123 points and Hamilton by 124. The title scenarios if Antonelli does not score in Mexico explain why he could still become champion on Sunday.
When are qualifying and the Mexican GP race in North America?
| Session | Eastern Time | Pacific Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday FP3 | 1:30pm EDT | 10:30am PDT |
| Saturday qualifying | 5:00pm EDT | 2:00pm PDT |
| Sunday race | 3:00pm EST | 12:00pm PST |
The United States and most Canadian regions observing daylight saving time change their clocks early on Sunday, November 1.
That is why Sunday’s race uses standard time rather than Friday and Saturday’s daylight-saving times.
For the complete United States weekend schedule and viewing information, GRANDE PRÊMIO has a separate guide covering the entire event.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
