The Mercedes driver is set to sit out Free Practice 1 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, with reserve driver Frederik Vesti taking over the W16 for the 60-minute session.
Nine regular drivers are due to hand their cars to rookies as part of the FIA’s requirement for teams to complete two young driver FP1 sessions this season.
Mexico’s high-altitude circuit is notorious for its dusty conditions early in the weekend, often leaving little grip on the surface. Russell topped FP1 in 2024 with a time of 1:17.998, but pole position later went to Carlos Sainz, who clocked a 1:16.055, nearly two seconds quicker once the track had cleaned up.
Explaining why he believes missing the first session will not hurt him, Russell said the benefits of skipping Mexico’s tricky opening hour outweigh the drawbacks.
“I think there is an argument to say you probably gain, to be honest,” Russell told reporters. “The track is so dusty and dirty at first, and lap times are maybe four seconds slower at the end of FP1 compared to qualifying.
“Sometimes when you go into FP2 with an open mind, you don’t have those bad experiences from FP1. Of all the tracks, this is the one where you lose by far the least. That’s why almost every car will have a rookie driver in FP1.”
Mercedes are hoping for a strong showing in Mexico following mixed results in recent rounds, with both Russell and Kimi Antonelli keen to capitalise on the team’s recent upgrade package.
The 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, with 71 laps of the 4.304-kilometre circuit expected to test both car cooling and driver endurance at the sport’s highest-altitude venue.
