F1 Mexico: Verstappen Chases Piastri and Norris in a Crucial GP

Formula 1 Ignites: Mexico Awaits a Crucial Weekend

The Formula 1 season reaches its final five races, and the drivers’ championship is at a critical point. The fight for the title is concentrated among three outstanding figures: Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen. While McLaren drivers, Piastri and Norris, compete for their first world title, a four-time champion lurks, closing the gap at a vertiginous pace in the last four races. Verstappen’s resurgence places him as a serious contender for a fifth championship this year. With the differences becoming increasingly close, every point is crucial in the upcoming races, which increases the pressure on the competitors.

Weather forecast in Mexico

The initial forecast anticipates a warm and sunny weekend in Mexico City, with partly cloudy skies and maximum temperatures of 26°C on Saturday. Friday and Sunday will have similar temperatures, with low chances of wind.

This week’s highlights

“I would have told him he was an idiot,” Verstappen commented when asked about the possibility of being a title contender after his home race 49 days ago.

Max Verstappen

Carlos Sainz has been penalized with five positions on the starting grid of the Mexican Grand Prix due to a collision with Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes in the United States Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri, despite the reduction in his lead, remains optimistic about his chances in the F1 world championship: “I prefer to be where I am than in the other two,” he stated. Jak Crawford, a promising American motorsport star, will participate in the first practice for Aston Martin at the Mexican Grand Prix. Pato O’Ward will drive for McLaren instead of Norris, and Luke Browning will do so for Williams. American driver Colton Herta will compete in the Formula 2 development series in 2026, seeking to consolidate his position in Formula 1.

Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri’s championship fight is threatened by Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.

Here are the championships

The excitement is building! Oscar Piastri (346 pts) leads the standings, but his advantage is progressively shrinking, with a 14-point difference over Lando Norris (332 pts). Verstappen (306 pts) is closing in, 40 points behind Piastri and only 26 behind Norris. Regarding podiums and victories, the situation is as follows for the top three:

• Piastri – 14 podiums, 7 victories
• Norris – 15 podiums, 5 victories
• Verstappen – 10 podiums, 5 victories

Hermanos Rodríguez Race Track

Mexico City joined the Formula 1 calendar in 1963.

Circuit Statistics and History

The races in the Magdalena Mixhuca park in Mexico City date back to 1959, with the first Formula 1 event on the circuit, a non-championship race, taking place in 1962. Local hero Ricardo Rodríguez died during practice for the inaugural F1 event, and from that moment on the circuit was named in his honor and that of his brother Pedro, another Mexican racing driver, who died nine years later while competing in sports car races. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez hosted F1 championship races from 1963 to 1970 and again from 1986 to 1992 before returning to the calendar in 2015. The original circuit was known for its fearsome Peraltada curve, a long right-hand turn before the pit straight with a minimal escape area. When the circuit returned in 2015, the Peraltada had been eliminated and replaced by the iconic Foro Sol stadium section, which includes two tight turns in a former baseball stadium. At an altitude of 7300 feet (2200 meters), the circuit is the highest on the F1 calendar and presents a unique challenge for teams and drivers. The thinner air means that the cars run with their highest wing levels, but still generate less downforce than in Monza, where the lowest wing levels are installed to reduce drag. The reduced oxygen levels in the air also require the power unit’s turbocharger to spin faster than at sea level, while also creating cooling problems for the tires and brakes.Mexico City Grand Prix

• Circuit: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez; Mexico City, Mexico
• First F1 race: 1963
• Laps: 71 laps of 4.3 km
• Lap record: 1:17.774, Valtteri Bottas (2021)
• Most wins: Verstappen with five (2017-2018, 2021-2023).

Other winners from the current grid:

• Lewis Hamilton (2016, 2019)
• Sainz (2024)

Most pole positions: Jim Clark with four (1963-1965, 1967)

Other drivers who have achieved pole position from the current grid:

• Hamilton (2016)
• Charles Leclerc (2019, 2023)
• Verstappen (2022)
• Sainz (2024)

What makes it special: A true anomaly on the calendar due to the high altitudes. The low air density, approximately 78% compared to sea level, creates strange paradoxes, where teams can use aerodynamic packages from Monaco while reaching top speeds similar to those of Monza. Mexico loves its races and remains one of the loudest and most colorful places on the calendar. What the drivers say about it: “The atmosphere in Mexico is unreal. Nothing compares to it.” – Sergio Pérez Where to watch: Foro Sol stadium section. A unique part of the track where the cars make their way through a converted baseball stadium, with fans packed in the stands erupting every time the cars pass.

Carlos Sainz

The winner of the race, Carlos Sainz, from Spain and Ferrari, celebrates in the parc fermé after the Mexican GP.

What happened last year?

Sainz won the dramatic race, with Norris in second place, while Verstappen fell to sixth place after being penalized with two 10-second penalties. The penalties were for two separate incidents with Norris in which Verstappen forced him off the track. Leclerc finished third, as Ferrari achieved its second double podium of the 2024 season.

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen is 40 points behind leader Oscar Piastri in the drivers’ championship.

How to watch the GP

For fans in the U.S., watch live on ESPN and ESPN+. In the UK, live coverage is broadcast on Sky Sports F1 and BBC Radio 5 Live, with highlights on Channel 4. For news, analysis, and updates, follow the coverage with the ESPN F1 team in Mexico City and on social media.

Session times below in BST (British Summer Time) and GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Local time is (CST) Central Standard Time (BST -7 hours).

Note: UK daylight saving time on Sunday, October 26 at 02:00: clocks go back 1 hour to GMT.

Friday
First free practice: 19:30-20:30 BST
Second free practice: 23:00-00:00 BST

Saturday
Third free practice: 18:30-19:30 BST
Qualifying: 22:00-23:00 BST

Sunday
Race start: 20:00 GMT (live text commentary from 19:00 GMT)