Overview
- Lando Norris delivered a standout Q3 lap to secure pole, topping Charles Leclerc by 0.262s with Lewis Hamilton third in Ferrari’s strongest qualifying showing of the season, according to team boss Frédéric Vasseur.
- Both Norris and the Ferrari pair conserved a new set of softs for Sunday, setting up aggressive launch options on a track where tyre preparation and cooling are critical.
- The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez’s 798-meter run to Turn 1 and powerful tow effect have frequently negated pole, making the opening sprint decisive for track position.
- Max Verstappen reported oversteer and ‘no grip,’ particularly through Turn 9, and Red Bull signaled damage limitation rather than victory hopes based on weak long-run pace.
- Oscar Piastri qualified 0.588s off his teammate in eighth, with McLaren insisting the gap stems from driving in low-grip conditions rather than a car issue, a meaningful twist with Piastri leading the standings over Norris and Verstappen.