Overview
- Lando Norris took pole with a 1:15.586, edging Charles Leclerc by 0.262s, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton third and George Russell fourth.
- Oscar Piastri qualified eighth but starts seventh after Carlos Sainz’s five‑place penalty, finishing 0.588s off Norris and calling the deficit “a bit of a mystery.”
- Max Verstappen will start fifth after reporting tyre overheating and poor grip at altitude, issues Red Bull has struggled to tame this season.
- Piastri’s pre‑race advantage stands at 14 points over Norris, a gap that could flip if they finish where they start on Sunday.
- McLaren’s Andrea Stella said low‑grip conditions suit Norris more naturally than Piastri, a pattern reinforced by Mexico’s high‑altitude, tyre‑sensitive layout and aggressive Pirelli compounds.