From Norris’ Victory to Rookie Breakthroughs: Key Mexican Grand Prix Highlights
Image Credit: Liauzh via Wikimedia Commons
Formula 1’s return to the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix provided every bit of the drama we have come to expect from the circuit. Having played host to several historical moments, being the crowning spot for Lewis Hamilton' s 4th and 5th world championships, and providing plenty of controversy for previous stewarding decisions, the Mexico City Grand Prix always provides excitement.
Turn 1 this year was no different from last year, with several drivers turning their multi-million-dollar cars into the most prestigious lawnmowers in North America. Several drivers cut part of the first chicane, with Max Verstappen narrowly missing the barrier, Charles Leclerc cutting turn two to stay ahead of Ferrari teammate Hamilton and Fernando Alonso claiming that rivals “rejoined like three or four cars in front of me”. The stewards have come under fire once again for the myriad of decisions that meant multiple Turn 1 decisions were overlooked, forcing drivers to try and settle it out among themselves in the first few laps.
Max Verstappen headed into the weekend having closed the championship lead on Oscar Piastri from 104 points down to 40 points. With Red Bull finally finding a groove with their car, it means Verstappen has gone from being down and out to a legitimate contender for his fifth championship. His run from the Italian Grand Prix to the Mexican Grand Prix has meant that he has won three times, always been on the podium, and has benefited when title rivals at McLaren have started to struggle. Though the outcome in Mexico may not have been what he wanted, following tangles with former rival Hamilton, and a very late virtual safety car following the retirement of Carlos Sainz, he narrowly missed out on second place, ultimately reducing the gap between the championship leader and himself to 36 points.
With Piastri in a slump, struggling with the same circuits he did a year ago, it has been very difficult to maintain the same form he had at the start of the year. Though his average pace to his teammate had been closer in Austin, at the Mexican Grand Prix, the deficit was half a second per lap. Though the race provided a little relief, despite dropping down to ninth at the start, Piastri was hampered whilst in traffic, fighting both the Mercedes drivers and then getting stuck behind 4th place driver Oliver Bearman.
Oliver Bearman, the young Englishman who substituted for Carlos Sainz at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, has been deemed to have struggled in his first full rookie year. A part of the Ferrari Driver Academy and touted to replace Hamilton at the Scuderia for 2027, his season has had highs, but with many questions surrounding his consistency amidst his recent performances. However, he put some of those concerns to rest following his racecraft in Mexico. Making an impressive start, Bearman passed Verstappen on track to take 4th place, closing the door and settling into a groove that, at one point, had him in third place. A consistent drive, keeping the Mercedes duo of Russell and Antonelli, and then Piastri in the closing laps of the race, showed that, when Haas gets their strategy together, their drivers can deliver.
Another rookie who impressed was Gabriel Bortoleto. Formerly of the McLaren academy, Sauber had come off of a three-race pointless streak. Though Q1 had been hampered, Bortoleto reported feeling “very comfortable and confident with the car”. From P16 on the grid, he made his way up to P10 by the end of the race, passing the Racing Bulls, Williams and Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda. His drive will potentially prove crucial, especially in the battle for sixth in the constructors' championship, as the difference between 6th and 9th place is 12 points, a gap which, if successfully made up, could net the Sauber team an additional $26 million dollars for when the team becomes Audi for 2026.
The weekend, however, cannot ignore the performance of the new championship leader, Lando Norris. Coming into this race, the Englishman was down 14 points to his Australian teammate. Mexico was the breakthrough he needed, mastering the low-grip conditions that Piastri has struggled with this year to win by the biggest margin of the season. The race was as excellent a weekend as he has had all season, leading from the start, securing a large lead and never looking back. He now takes a 1-point lead into the final four rounds of the season, with the ever-looming threat of Verstappen.
The paddock are now preparing to head off to the Brazilian Grand Prix this week. With conditions set to be wet, can Max Verstappen repeat his performance from a year ago and close in on the lead? Will Piastri be able to pull himself out of his slump? Will Norris be able to extend the lead at the top? Only the 71 laps of Sao Paulo can give us the answers.