Overview
- Lando Norris secured pole for the Mexico City Grand Prix with a 1:15.586, ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with George Russell fourth and Max Verstappen fifth.
- Oscar Piastri’s struggles continued as he qualified eighth on the timesheet, set to start seventh due to Carlos Sainz’s five-place grid penalty.
- A late ride-height change transformed Norris’s pace, leaving him 0.345s clear in final practice before he converted that edge in qualifying.
- Verstappen reported weak long-run grip and race-pace concerns despite Friday speed, compounding the challenge of starting from the third row.
- With five races remaining, Piastri leads Norris by 14 points and Verstappen by 40, while Red Bull plans post-weekend decisions on its 2026 lineups as Yuki Tsunoda apologized over recent remarks and Liam Lawson said he has done everything to keep a seat.