Lando Norris Dominates 2025 F1 Mexico City Grand Prix to Take Championship Lead

Mexico City, October 26, 2025 — McLaren’s Lando Norris delivered a masterclass at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, storming to a commanding victory in the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix. The Briton crossed the line over 30 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, taking the lead in the Drivers’ Championship by a single point from team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Norris Controls the Chaos at the Start

Launching cleanly from pole, Norris faced immediate pressure from Leclerc, Hamilton, and Verstappen as the front-runners went four-wide on the charge to Turn 1. Leclerc briefly led after cutting across from the right, while Verstappen was forced onto the grass and through the escape road to avoid contact.

As the Ferrari driver overshot Turn 1, Norris reclaimed the lead moments later — but behind them, the drama continued. Verstappen and Hamilton tangled at Turn 4, with Hamilton rejoining ahead of the Dutchman before another wheel-banging moment into Turn 1. The chaos opened the door for Haas rookie Ollie Bearman, who opportunistically surged to third.

Hamilton Penalized as Norris Pulls Away

Race control soon handed Hamilton a 10-second penalty for gaining an advantage off-track, while Verstappen was cleared of any wrongdoing.

At the front, Norris was untouchable. By Lap 23, the McLaren driver had opened up a 10.5-second gap to Leclerc, who in turn led Bearman by another 11 seconds. Verstappen ran fourth ahead of Russell, with Hamilton dropping down the order after his penalty.

As the Soft-tyre runners began to fade, pit stops reshuffled the order. Verstappen briefly climbed to P2 before pitting for Softs on Lap 38, rejoining in eighth behind Hamilton. Norris’s calm, consistent pace kept him comfortably ahead throughout the cycle.

Piastri Battles Through the Pack

Further back, Oscar Piastri fought through a thrilling midfield battle with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. After passing Antonelli and closing in on Russell, Piastri showed strong late-race pace to secure fifth behind Bearman — ensuring McLaren bagged a huge haul of points in Mexico.

VSC Neutralizes the Finish

With Verstappen rapidly closing on Leclerc for second in the final laps, Carlos Sainz’s stricken Williams brought out a Virtual Safety Car in the stadium section with just three laps remaining. The neutralization allowed Leclerc to hold off Verstappen as Norris cruised to his sixth win of the season — a dominant performance that now puts him at the top of the standings heading to Brazil.

2025 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix — Official Results

Championship Standings After Mexico

1. Lando Norris – 271 pts
2. Oscar Piastri – 270 pts
3. Max Verstappen – 258 pts
4. Charles Leclerc – 241 pts
5. George Russell – 214 pts

With two rounds remaining, the battle for the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship is now finely poised — and McLaren hold a slender advantage in both championships heading to São Paulo.