This year’s Mexican Grand Prix was one of those races that didn’t let viewers and drivers catch a break from start to finish. It was a nail-biter from the moment the lights went out to the moment the checkered flag was waved at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. It was one of the more exciting races of the season and one that will have ramifications for the highly anticipated outcome of the Drivers’ Championship.
Qualifying delivered an exciting lineup that foreshadowed how intense the race would be. Lando Norris secured Pole Position, Charles Leclerc in P2, and in a moment, Ferrari fans waited all year for, Lewis Hamilton in P3. It seemed like everything was going to be a slam dunk for all three drivers, particularly Leclerc and Hamilton… Until it wasn’t.
Norris won the Grand Prix after leading every single lap of the race, unchallenged and unbothered. He crossed the line over 30 seconds ahead of Leclerc, who finished second thanks to a last-minute Hail Mary (those who watched F1: The Movie will get the reference). Max Verstappen, like a blood thirsty shark on the hunt, crept behind the Ferrari car and closed the gap between them in time for a final-lap overtake… That was until a Virtual Safety Car triggered by Sainz’s smoking Williams pretty much sealed the podium. Verstappen, however, was going fine in either outcome. He finished in third place.
And here’s the painful thorn of the weekend: after qualifying P3, Lewis Hamilton’s podium prospects evaporated when he was handed a 10-second penalty for going off track into the grass and gaining a “lasting advantage” after not properly re-entering the track in the opening laps. He unfortunately, despite his best efforts, finished in P8. The kicker in all this was that several other drivers went just as wide and gained clear advantages with zero penalties. For anyone who is familiar with the antics of the FIA stewards, it just feels like yet more proof that they have their favorites… or, to put it politely, someone they enjoy punishing and holding to an unreasonably high standard… And the FIA wonders why everyone collectively dislikes them.
The standout star of the midfield was Ollie Bearman, who pulled an unexpected overtake on Verstappen amidst the early chaos and climbed to a career-best P4. Behind him was Oscar Piastri, who had quite the rough time to finish at P5. Had that Virtual Safety Car not taken place, the Aussie driver would have passed Bearman and secured just enough points to remain the Championship lead, a position now occupied by Lando Norris.
The show-stealing highlight of the race goes to George Russell, who lost his composure over the Mercedes team radio in near-comedic meltdown as he was advised to mind his brake temperature while being quarelled by a looming Oscar Piastri and a slower paced Kimi Antonelli. The squabble concluded with Antonelli in P6 and Russell in P7. I’ll let the one of the transmissions speak for itself:
The title fight continues to be a three-man war. Norris leads with 357, while Piastri breathes down his neck at 356; the difference between the McLaren drivers is now one point. Verstapen, now at 321, quietly lurks in the shadows as usual, ready to strike at any moment.
Next stop: Brazil, which may prove to be as eventful as last year. The racing gods may as well bring the rain, the chaos, and the pressure cooker to a full boil.
It’s official: there are no calm Sundays left.
