In a dramatic turn of events at the Mexico City E-Prix, Jake Hughes powered through wet conditions to post the fastest time in the second practice session for Maserati MSG Racing. The session, defined by a drying track and unpredictable weather, shuffled the pecking order, leaving only four of Friday’s top 10 drivers holding their positions.
Hughes’ best lap of 1m25.808s was a stark contrast to Friday’s fastest FP1 time, nearly 15 seconds slower, showcasing the challenging conditions. The spread across the top 10 widened to 1.719 seconds, compared to Friday’s tight 0.628-second margin.
Top Performers in Challenging Conditions
- Jake Hughes (Maserati MSG Racing): Led the session with a commanding performance in tricky conditions.
- Nick Cassidy (Jaguar TCS Racing): Overcame a spin at Turn 15 to secure second, just 0.157s off Hughes.
- Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche): Rounded out the top three, 0.197s behind, leading a strong showing from Porsche-powered cars.
- Jake Dennis (Andretti Porsche): Split the factory Porsches in fourth.
- Antonio Felix da Costa (Porsche): Friday’s quickest driver settled for fifth.
Notable Mentions
- Nyck de Vries (Mahindra): Delivered an impressive sixth-place result, continuing to adapt to his new team.
- Robin Frijns (Envision Racing) & Stoffel Vandoorne (Maserati): Returned Maserati to the top 10 after a tough Friday session.
- Maximilian Günther (DS Penske) & Oliver Rowland (Nissan): Rounded out the top 10 with consistent performances.
Surprises and Struggles
- Mitch Evans (Jaguar): Just missed the top 10, finishing 11th despite his strong FP1 showing.
- Former champions Jean-Eric Vergne, Lucas di Grassi, and Sebastien Buemi struggled in the conditions, finishing in the midfield.
- David Beckmann (Kiro Cupra): Once again anchored the field, unable to find pace in either session.
Takeaways from Practice 2
The wet conditions served as a major equalizer, shaking up the standings and offering glimpses of potential dark horses for the race. The Porsche-powered cars continued to impress, with all four finishing in the top five, suggesting they are the ones to beat if conditions stabilize.
Hughes’ performance highlights Maserati’s potential resurgence after a lackluster Friday, while Cassidy and Jaguar’s speed reinforce their status as consistent contenders.
With unpredictable weather and a highly competitive grid, the Mexico City E-Prix promises a thrilling race day as drivers and teams strategize to conquer the evolving track conditions.
