Lewis Hamilton’s race became even more complicated when he was handed a 10-second time penalty for rejoining the track incorrectly after his off during the fight with Verstappen. The Ferrari driver was the first of the leading group to pit, switching to medium tyres and serving his penalty in the process. The pit stop phase dropped Hamilton down to 14th position.
At the front, both Norris and Leclerc extended their stints, staying out longer than expected. Leclerc finally pitted on lap 32 for a set of medium tyres, rejoining the race in third. Two laps later, Norris also came in but comfortably retained the race lead once the pit stops cycled through. Verstappen was the last of the top drivers to stop, switching to soft tyres and rejoining in eighth place. Meanwhile, the fight in the top ten began to heat up — Oliver Bearman emerged as a real contender for the podium, followed by both Mercedes cars and Oscar Piastri, with Hamilton right behind, determined to recover positions.
The medium tyre disappoints as teams switch to two-stop strategies
By lap 48, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Piastri and Hamilton all returned to the pits for a second stop, fitting soft tyres after an underwhelming stint on the mediums that failed to deliver the expected performance. George Russell and Bearman also stopped shortly after, both battling for third place in a thrilling scrap. The race was packed with action, with Verstappen now running third and trying to chase down Leclerc, who was struggling with more worn tyres. Bearman’s drive continued to impress, as he managed to hold on to a superb fourth place ahead of Russell and Piastri.
Oscar Piastri climbed back up to fifth position, while the race seemed to stabilize in the closing stages. However, the finale once again came alive with a dramatic duel between Verstappen and Leclerc, which ended in Leclerc’s favor following a Virtual Safety Car phase that briefly neutralized the race. Norris stayed in complete control at the front, cruising to a dominant victory ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen, and an extraordinary Bearman in fourth.
For McLaren, it was crucial for Norris to make a strong start and defend the lead — and that’s exactly what he did. The MCL39 proved to be the most competitive car on the grid, thanks to its high aerodynamic load and excellent cooling efficiency, which were key advantages in the demanding Mexican conditions. On the other hand, Oscar Piastri endured a tough weekend despite the potential of the car, unable to extract the same level of performance as his teammate.
Ferrari can take plenty of positives from this weekend. The team showed a clear step forward in setup optimization, with the smooth asphalt of the Mexican track allowing engineers to lower the SF-25 and run it in ideal conditions. Nevertheless, the gap to McLaren remains too wide to mount a consistent challenge for victory.
Red Bull, meanwhile, endured a difficult weekend. The team failed to shine in Mexico, with Max Verstappen struggling to manage a car that proved sensitive to the high ambient temperatures and slick track surface. Even so, the Dutch driver salvaged a podium finish, confirming Red Bull as the second force in the pecking order for now.
The battle for the World Championship has become increasingly complicated for Verstappen, but with so many unpredictable races ahead, it is clear that nothing can be taken for granted in this year’s title fight.
1 Lando Norris (McLaren)
2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
4 Ollie Bearman (Haas)
5 Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
6 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
7 George Russell (Mercedes)
8 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
9 Esteban Ocon (Haas)
10 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
11 Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
12 Alex Albon (Williams)
13 Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
14 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
15 Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
16 Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
DNF Carlos Sainz (Williams)
DNF Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
DNF Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
DNF Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
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