Norris takes championship lead with Mexico win
Lando Norris claimed his sixth win of 2025 at the Mexico Grand Prix to take the championship lead from McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by one point with four races remaining.
McLaren driver capitalizes on pole position to claim sixth win of 2025 season while teammate Piastri drops to second in standings after starting seventh
Lando Norris has taken control of the Formula 1 world championship.
The McLaren driver delivered a masterful performance at the Mexico Grand Prix to overtake teammate Oscar Piastri in the standings.
Norris converted pole position into a dominant 30-second victory over Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen.
The result sees him lead Piastri by a single point with four races remaining.
Perfect start secures early advantage
Norris maintained his lead through the crucial opening sequence despite the long run to Turn 1.
The poleman held position as chaos unfolded behind him.
Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton battled side-by-side into the first corner.
Verstappen made it three-wide on the outside, having started fifth on medium tyres while his rivals ran softs.
The Red Bull driver ran out of space and crossed the grass in the runoff area. Leclerc also cut Turn 2 to take the lead but wisely returned the position to Norris.
Hamilton reclaimed third from Verstappen after the opening-lap mayhem.
Verstappen and Hamilton collide
The battle for position intensified on lap six when Verstappen lunged at Hamilton into Turn 1.
The move resulted in light contact between the championship contenders.
Verstappen went through the grass at Turn 2 as their battle continued.
At Turn 4, Hamilton locked up and ran wide while Verstappen lost position to Haas rookie Oliver Bearman.
The stewards deemed Hamilton gained an unfair advantage from his Turn 4 excursion.
A 10-second penalty dropped the Ferrari driver to the back of his battle group after serving it at his first stop around lap 24.
Alternative strategy creates midfield drama
Verstappen extended his opening stint on medium tyres, initially falling behind the top five contenders. His patience would ultimately be rewarded.
Bearman found himself in an unlikely podium position, defending against Andrea Kimi Antonelli, George Russell and Piastri.
The Haas driver's strong performance captivated the midfield battle.
Russell expressed frustration at being caught between his teammate and a charging Piastri. He was still being asked to manage his tyres despite the situation.
Mercedes eventually granted Russell's request to swap positions with Antonelli. The move allowed him to chase Bearman more aggressively.
Piastri triggers strategy shuffle
The championship leader switched to a two-stop strategy with another set of soft tyres.
His decision prompted immediate responses from Bearman and both Mercedes drivers.
Piastri made the undercut work on Antonelli to secure sixth place. He remained ahead of both Bearman and Russell after the additional stops.
The two-stop strategies played perfectly into Verstappen's hands. He stayed out and re-emerged in third behind Norris and Leclerc.
Late drama denies Verstappen second place
Verstappen caught Leclerc with two laps remaining despite running on older soft tyres.
The Ferrari driver was managing slower medium compounds to the finish.
A virtual safety car for Carlos Sainz's stricken Williams froze the order.
By the time racing resumed on the final lap, Verstappen had run out of overtaking opportunities.
Norris cruised to his sixth victory of the season by a commanding margin. The result marks his first championship lead in six months.
Bearman shines in career-best fourth
The Haas rookie delivered a scintillating performance to claim fourth place.
Bearman's career-best result highlighted his impressive racecraft and tyre management.
Piastri passed Russell for fifth with an inside move at Turn 1 on lap 60.
Mercedes reversed its earlier position swap, allowing Antonelli to finish sixth ahead of Russell.
Hamilton completed a disappointing afternoon in eighth after his penalty derailed his race.
Esteban Ocon secured ninth for Haas, while Gabriel Bortoleto claimed the final point for Sauber.
Three retirements marred the race, including Fernando Alonso's suspected brake failure.
Liam Lawson retired after opening-lap contact, and Nico Hulkenberg suffered a power unit issue.
The championship battle heads to the final four rounds with Norris holding a slender one-point advantage.
Verstappen now trails by 36 points as his title defense faces mounting pressure.
Comments ()