Overview
- Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified second and third for Ferrari, positioning the team to attack into Turn 1 on Mexico City’s unusually long run to the opening corner.
- Oscar Piastri starts seventh after a difficult session he called “mysterious,” leaving his championship lead vulnerable if Lando Norris converts pole into a win.
- McLaren cites strong long‑run pace, with Andrea Stella urging a clean first lap for Norris as Pirelli expects most teams to start on mediums in a likely one‑stop race.
- Max Verstappen reported “no pace” and weak long‑run form after setup missteps, with Helmut Marko saying Norris looks unreachable and a podium may be the realistic goal.
- Mercedes lines up George Russell fourth and rookie Kimi Antonelli sixth, as slipstream effects and altitude‑driven cooling limits could complicate overtaking and tire management.