McLaren’s Lando Norris took control of the Formula One championship battle Sunday, cruising to victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix and edging ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri by a single point in the standings.
Starting from pole at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Norris led every lap in a dominant drive that capped McLaren’s strongest stretch of the 2025 season. The British driver fended off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished second after a close late-race fight with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Verstappen, a four-time world champion and crowd favorite in Mexico, crossed the line third, less than a second behind Leclerc.
“This win means everything — the car felt incredible all weekend,” Norris said after the race. “It’s been a hard-fought season, and we’re still pushing for every point.”
Rising rookie Ollie Bearman delivered a standout performance for Haas, securing a career-best fourth-place finish for himself and the teams best placement this season.
Piastri, who entered the weekend as championship leader, finished fifth after a two-stop strategy that cost him track position and ultimately the points lead.
The race was briefly overshadowed by a safety scare when Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson narrowly avoided hitting two track marshals who entered the circuit after his pit stop. Lawson later said he “could have killed them,” and race control has launched an investigation into the incident.
The top three drivers ran a one-stop tire strategy, while several midfield teams opted for two stops amid the high altitude and abrasive surface of the Mexico City circuit.
The victory marked Norris’ fifth win of the season and strengthened McLaren’s grip on the Driver’s Championship, as the team celebrated the 10th anniversary of Formula One’s return to Mexico.
With just four races remaining, Norris leads Piastri 278 to 277 points, setting up a tense finish to the season. The racers will hit the track again on Nov. 7 in São Paulo, Brazil.