Lando Norris secured victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix with a flawless performance from start to finish, taking the lead in a fiercely contested championship battle against McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. While Piastri finished fifth and Verstappen took third place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Norris now holds a critical advantage with just four races remaining.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second, while Haas driver Oliver Bearman delivered an impressive performance to claim a career-best fourth place.
Norris was in complete control from the moment he kept the lead through the first turn, a result of immense significance. This marks the first time he has led the championship since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April. After Piastri briefly took the lead in Jeddah, the Australian maintained a narrow advantage, but Norris’ resurgence at this pivotal stage has shifted the momentum in his favor.
Norris now leads Piastri by a single point, with Verstappen trailing by 36. The McLaren teammates are locked in a tight duel, but the reigning champion remains a strong contender, likely ensuring the title fight will go down to the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
This turnaround is particularly striking given Norris’ struggles earlier in the year, including a mechanical failure at the Dutch Grand Prix in August. That retirement left him 34 points behind Piastri, while Verstappen had fallen 104 points adrift, seemingly handing the advantage to the Australian.
At the time, Norris admitted he might need to take greater risks to close the gap. Yet, his response has been disciplined and calculated, yielding consistent results. While Verstappen and Red Bull regained momentum with upgrades, Norris remained focused, securing a series of podium finishes, with only a disappointing qualifying in Baku as a setback.
Piastri, meanwhile, suffered a dip in form after a strong mid-season run. A false start in Baku, followed by an on-track error, left him at the back, and subsequent races in Singapore and Austin brought lackluster results. In Mexico, his struggles continued with a seventh-place start and an inability to make progress in the midfield battle, costing him his championship lead.
While much attention had been on Verstappen’s resurgence, Norris quietly maximized his chances at crucial moments. With 116 points still available, the McLaren drivers’ positions relative to each other will be decisive in the final races.
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