Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa edged McLaren’s Taylor Barnard to top first practice for the 2025 Mexico City E-Prix.
The session which took place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez saw da Costa clock an impressive lap time of 1:10.855, marking him as the fastest driver in the field.
This performance not only highlighted his prowess but also set a new benchmark for the GEN3 Evo cars, which have been enhanced with all-wheel drive capabilities this season.
As the first practice for 2025 Mexico City E-Prix commenced at 17:00 local time, drivers were eager to gather crucial data on the circuit. The weather conditions were somewhat challenging, with intermittent rain throughout the session contributing to a slippery track surface.
Despite these conditions, da Costa quickly established himself at the top of the timesheets. His TAG Heuer Porsche teammate Pascal Wehrlein who had previously set a pole position time of 1:13.375 in the previous year’s race at this venue was unable to match da Costa’s pace and finished the session in fourth place.
Taylor Barnard from NEOM McLaren continued his impressive form by securing second place in the practice session, just under a tenth of a second behind da Costa.
Barnard’s recent success as Formula E’s youngest-ever podium-scorer in São Paulo has undoubtedly boosted his confidence as he aims for further accolades at the 2025 Mexico City E-Prix.
Oliver Rowland from Nissan also demonstrated strong performance by finishing third with a time of 1:10.977. Rowland’s consistency and speed are critical as he seeks to challenge for points in the championship standings this season.
Wehrlein’s fourth-place finish indicated that while Porsche had a strong showing overall, there was still room for improvement as they adapt to the new car specifications.
The fifth position went to São Paulo E-Prix winner Mitch Evans from Jaguar TCS Racing, who has been known for his aggressive driving style and ability to extract maximum performance from his car.
Lucas di Grassi of Lola-Yamaha-ABT secured sixth place, showcasing some impressive one-lap pace despite the tricky conditions. His experience on this circuit may prove beneficial as he prepares for the race.
Norman Nato from Nissan finished seventh, followed closely by Sébastien Buemi of Envision Racing in eighth place. Buemi has a solid history at this venue, having finished second in last year’s race and he looked to build on that momentum during this practice session.
Edoardo Mortara from Mahindra Racing claimed ninth position while Stoffel Vandoorne rounded out the top ten for Maserati MSG Racing.
The session was not without incidents; Cupra Kiro’s David Beckmann unfortunately collided with the outer barrier due to losing control of his car while navigating through the final Peraltada corner.
This incident resulted in left-rear suspension damage and served as a reminder of how unforgiving racing can be on this challenging circuit.
Overall, the first practice session for the 2025 Mexico City E-Prix provided valuable insights into team performances and driver capabilities under variable weather conditions.
With all but two drivers setting faster times than Wehrlein’s previous year’s benchmark, it is evident that advancements in technology and car design are allowing drivers to push their limits further than ever before.
