Ferrari’s advantage in Mexico is "massive", thanks to "amazing" engine horsepower.
That is the view of rivals Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) respectively, even if Sebastian Vettel is playing down his practice pace so far.
"The times don’t always show everything," the Ferrari driver said. "I think it’s still a three-way fight between us, Red Bull and Mercedes."
However, Verstappen said it is the details of Ferrari’s advantage that reveals the truth in Mexico.
"On the straight, we lose almost a second to them. That’s too much to win back in the corners," added the Dutchman.
A look at the top straight-line speeds in Mexico show that five of the top six cars are powered by Ferrari.
"The gap to Ferrari is massive," said Mercedes’ Hamilton.
Verstappen continued: "Ferrari is too fast here.
"I think Mercedes and us are on about the same level, but Ferrari are miles ahead. The power they have is amazing."