Lando Norris took the F1 points lead after dominant Mexico GP performance, as Charles Leclerc was second from Max Verstappen.
It was a clean start from McLaren’s Lando Norris in F1 Mexico GP under hot conditions to maintain the lead from a fighting Ferrari of Charles Leclerc & Lewis Hamilton along with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen into Turn 1. The Dutchman was on the outside and had to cut across.
He nearly escaped the barrier as he was followed by Mercedes’ George Russell and Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar at Turn 2. At the front, Leclerc cut the corner at Turn 2 to get ahead of Norris but had to give up the place. He was second from Hamilton, with Verstappen up to fourth.
The Dutchman was on the medium tyre in the pack leading Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Haas’ Oliver Bearman was up to sixth and briefly ran fifth before losing to Antonelli. Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda was eighth on the medium tyre, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in ninth.
Haas’ Esteban Ocon gained places to be 10th, as Hadjar lost the Top 10 place to be 11th. Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson pitted to change the front wing, but eventually retired. There was a moment between Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Williams’ Carlos Sainz, but it was cleared.
Up front, Russell tried a move on Verstappen but it didn’t work. The Dutchman pressed Hamilton for third at Turn 1, taking the inside line, but it didn’t work and he seemingly pushed the Brit off. They continued to fight into Turn 4, bringing Russell, Antonelli and Bearman in the mix.
Hamilton locked-up at Turn 4 and left the track to rejoin at Turn 5, which was under investigation for not following the rejoin rule. Verstappen went off which caught out Russell. This allowed Bearman to take the inside line and take fourth. The Dutchman pressed hard but couldn’t get through.
The off for Russell allowed Antonelli through to sixth, as the Brit dropped to seventh. Meanwhile, Piastri attempted a move on Tsunoda at Turn 1, but it didn’t work on one lap. He made it easy the second time around to take eighth, as Ocon hustled Tsunoda in the fight for ninth.
While Hamilton was cleared for not following the directors’ rule, he was handed 10s time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, where he gained about two seconds when he rejoined. Sainz was the first to spit, switching his mediums to soft early on and had an off moment at Turn 1.
Antonelli pitted on Lap 23. Hamilton did so on Lap 24 and Bearman followed on Lap 25 to cover the Brit. Piastri did the same. The Haas driver had track position over Antonelli, as Piastri had Hamilton covered. Russell pitted on Lap 26 but managed to maintain track position over Piastri by just.
Verstappen, meanwhile, was cleared of Turn 1 collision with Hamilton. Sainz was handed 5s time penalty for speeding in the pitlane. Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg became the second retirement. Leclerc pitted on Lap 32 to retain track position in the podium places.
Bearman too had podium in his sights with Antonelli, Russell and Piastri on his tail. Norris pitted on Lap 35 from the lead to maintain it. Alonso, meanwhile, retired from the race. Tsunoda pitted on Lap 37, while Verstappen followed him on Lap 38 to rejoin in eighth behind Hamilton.
Russell hustled his team to allow him through on Antonelli in order to catch Bearman for third, as Piastri started to push Russell. Post the pit stops, it was Sainz up to ninth followed by Ocon, who passed Williams’ Alexander Albon in a good move at Turn 4.
After relentless push, Mercedes finally got his wish to get Russell ahead of Antonelli in the push to get Bearman. The Italian had Piastri on his tail. But with Verstappen clearing Hamilton for seventh, it was pit stop on Lap 49 for Antonelli, Piastri and Hamilton.
Piastri got the better of Antonelli in the pits. Bearman and Russell pitted on Lap 50, where the Brit came out ahead of Ocon. It was then for Piastri, Antonelli and Hamilton to pass the Frenchman one after the other. It was Verstappen up in third in defence against charging Bearman and Russell.
The two had Piastri, Antonelli and Hamilton along, with Ocon in ninth from Hadjar, who had Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto chasing him along with Tsunoda and Sainz. The Spaniard had another penalty for speeding in pitlane. But this time it was a drive-through penalty which sealed his fate.
Norris had a good margin on Leclerc, but Verstappen started to catch him in the fight for second. Bearman hung on to fourth from Russell and Piastri. The Australian caught the Brit and surprised him with a move at Turn 1, taking the inside line and sticking it through.
Behind them, it was spread out for Antonelli, Hamilton and Ocon, with Hadjar being chased by Bortoleto still for the last points position. The Brazilian got him at Turn 1 taking the outside line to stick through. The Frenchman lost 11th to Tsunoda on the next lap, with Albon joining in.
Verstappen caught up Leclerc for second, while Bearman was caught up by Piastri in the fight for fourth. The drama intensified when Sainz pulled off to retire. The yellow flag changed to Virtual Safety Car, which only ended on the final lap when the overtaking spots were gone.
It was Norris in the lead to win Mexico GP by 30.324s margin and retook the F1 points lead by one point over Piastri. It was Leclerc hanging on to second from Verstappen by 0.725s margin, with Bearman securing his best result in fourth, keeping Piastri at bay.
Antonelli was sixth after Russell agreed to team orders and gave the place back to the Italian. Hamilton had to be content with eighth from Ocon and Bortoleto, with the Frenchman making it double points for Haas and the Brazilian fighting through from 16th to 10th.
Tsunoda was 11th from Albon, Hadjar, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, with Sainz classified in 17th. Everyone from Albon until Colapinto finished a lap down.
