### McLaren Dominates Final Practice at Mexican Grand Prix

In a standout performance during the final practice session ahead of the Formula 1 qualifying at the Mexican Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri spearheaded a McLaren 1-2, outpacing Ferrari, which had shown promise earlier in the week.

Initially, the Ferraris, who continued their strong form from a dominant showing in Austin, led much of the first half of the practice session. However, McLaren excelled during the late-session qualifying simulations. Piastri emerged as the fastest driver, clocking an impressive 1m16.492s, which was nearly seven tenths of a second quicker than last year's pole time set by Carlos Sainz. Piastri’s teammate, Lando Norris, followed closely at 0.059s slower.

Defending champion Max Verstappen had a challenging session. Despite avoiding the engine issues from Friday by switching to another engine within his pool, he struggled for grip and expressed his frustration over the team radio. Verstappen finished fourth, half a second behind Piastri, and narrowly ahead of Lewis Hamilton by 0.057s. Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate, faced even more difficulties, finishing the session in 14th place, over a second behind Piastri, after errors on his fast laps.

Ferraris couldn't maintain their early dominance, with Carlos Sainz finishing third, 0.340s off Piastri's pace. Charles Leclerc, Sainz’s teammate, lagged further behind in sixth, trailing by four tenths.

Yuki Tsunoda secured seventh position for RB, with his teammate Liam Lawson in 10th despite a spin in the stadium section. Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg were ninth and 16th respectively, highlighting the competitiveness in the midfield pack. George Russell finished eighth, ahead of Magnussen, Lawson, and Alex Albon of Williams.

Valtteri Bottas performed remarkably for Sauber, ending the session in 12th place on a track where he reached Q3 last year. Meanwhile, Alpine struggled, with Pierre Gasly experiencing another trip through the grass at Turn 1 and finishing last. Esteban Ocon, his teammate, ended the session in 18th.

As the teams prepare for the qualifying round, McLaren’s late-session speed has set the stage for an exciting battle in Mexico City.