Oscar Piastri has lost the lead of the Formula 1 drivers’ championship as teammate and title rival Lando Norris stormed to a dominant victory in Mexico City.
Piastri had held the lead of the championship for 15 consecutive race weekends, and had a lead of 14 points heading into Monday morning’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
But Piastri’s lead was under serious threat with Norris on pole and the Australian starting seventh. When Piastri fell to ninth at the end of the opening lap, the lead of the championship was as good as gone.
Norris was unchallenged in victory, leading every lap in a dominant performance.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second, desperately holding on at the end from a charging Max Verstappen.
Further back, Piastri produced one of his best drives in recent memory, overcoming a poor first lap to finish fifth.
The Australian was hunting down Haas driver Oliver Bearman, who finished a career-best fourth for Haas, but Piastri’s chances of taking the position and retaining the lead of the championship ended when a virtual safety car was called on the penultimate lap as Carlos Sainz’s Williams car was stopped on the side of the road.
The car was reportedly behind a barrier and out of harm’s way, but race officials still called for the VSC and neutralised the race.
The win for Norris is his sixth grand prix triumph of the season, and moves him into the lead of the championship for the first time since the end of round four.
“What a race, I could just keep eyes forward and concentrate,” Norris said.
“A straightforward race for me, good start, good launch, good first lap and could go from there.”
Follow all the action of the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix on the live blog below.
Key Events
Show all key events4h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 6:40pm
Classification: F1 Mexico City Grand Prix
30m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 10:22pm
Oscar Piastri speaks after finishing fifth in Mexico
Oscar Piastri battled hard today.
After qualifying eighth fastest and dropping to ninth on the opening lap, the Australian has done well to finish fifth.
Here is what he has had to say to Sky Sports F1.
“I felt like the whole race I was right behind someone and just struggling with dirty air,” Piastri said.
“That was pretty difficult.
“But I think for me, the biggest thing is trying to learn the things I want to learn today.
“Yesterday (qualifying) it kind of became obvious that after the session, there were a few things I needed to change pretty majorly in how I was driving.
“Today was firstly about trying to limit the damage, and also learn some things about (the car).
“If I’ve made some progress with that, I’ll be happy.”
46m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 10:06pm
Max Verstappen pleased with podium finish
It was a wild race for Max Verstappen.
He went off onto the grass at the first corner, nearly went into the wall, then had another excursion off the track when battling Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
In the end, he was unlucky not to finish second. The late VSC stopped his barnstorming charge at Charles Leclerc.
“Very hectic, the beginning of the race for me,” Verstappen says.
“On the outside, I got onto the kerb, and almost crashed onto the grass. It was about surviving the first stint.
“A difficult weekend for us, so to be fighting for P2 with everything that happened in the first few laps is a strong result.”
50m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 10:02pm
Charles Leclerc says late VSC saved his spot in second
Charles Leclerc drove really well and deserved second place today.
Here is what he had to say.
“Very happy with this weekend. To end up again on the podium is a great surprise. Very happy to be on this amazing podium again,” he says.
The Ferrari driver was desperately holding on in the final laps, as Max Verstappen chased him down.
The virtual safety car at the end of the race ensured Leclerc would hold onto second, and he knows it.
“I was quite happy about the [VSC] at the end, my tyres were completely gone. The [Virtual] Safety Car saved me at the end.”
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:51pm
Lando Norris speaks after winning the Mexico City Grand Prix
Lando Norris was excellent today.
He won the race with ease.
Frankly, it was a foregone conclusion after the second lap.
“What a race, I could just keep eyes forward and concentrate,” Norris says.
“A straightforward race for me, good start, good launch, good first lap and could go from there.”
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:50pm
Lando Norris leads the championship by one point
Oscar Piastri had held the lead of the drivers’ championship for 15 consecutive weekends.
But that lead has now gone.
With vicotry for Lando Norris, and fifth for the Australian, Norris leads the championship by one-point.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:41pm
71/71: VSC ends, Norris wins
Lando Norris crosses the line to win the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Further back, Charles Leclerc is hanging on for dear life.
Max Verstappen is catching, but he does not have enough time.
Haas driver Oliver Bearman finishes fourth, and Oscar Piastri is fifth.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:40pm
VIRTUAL SAFETY CAR
Oh no.
It has ruined a brilliant ending.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz has stopped in the final section.
The Williams car appears to be behind a barrier, but clearly the race directors feel there must be a safety issue.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:40pm
70/71: Verstappen is all over Leclerc
Max Verstappen has DRS on Charles Leclerc.
The Ferrari driver holds second in the first DRS zone, and in the second.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:38pm
70/71: Piastri has DRS on Bearman
The Australian has the rear wing open.
They are a catching backmarkers.
That will add a hazard.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:36pm
67/71: Time is running out for Piastri. Gap to Bearman is 1.4 seconds
Is Piastri catching Bearman to have a chance of passing him?
– Dave
In short, Dave, Yes.
But Piastri really needs to be in the DRS range in the next lap, or two.
Haas’ Oliver Bearman has driven a magnificent race, and deserves fourth place
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:33pm
65/71: Piastri is catching Bearman, Verstappen is catching Leclerc
In the battle for fourth, Oscar Piastri is catching Oliver Bearman.
The gap has gone from more than three seconds down to 1.8.
If Piastri can get into DRS range in the next couple of laps, he has a chance.
Vertsappen is closing in on Leclerc. Ferrari’s Leclerc is struggling on his tyres. Verstappen is less than three seconds behind Leclerc.
Cue the JAWS music.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:31pm
Why was Verstappen not penalised, but Hamilton was?
Why have we not heard anything about Max’s two times driving out the track?? I’m so confused!! This race is beyond rigged!!
– Åsa
Hello, Åsa.
Hamilton’s penalty was a slam dunk. He went off track, did not follow the escape road, and gained about two seconds on his rivals.
Verstappen went off track twice.
The second time, he did not gain an advantage.
The first time was off the start. He did jump from fifth to third, then gave up and went back to fourth.
Stewards show more leniency off the start, and Verstappen really didn’t do anything wrong. He was forced off, he followed the off track line he needed too, and that was deemed all fair.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:28pm
As it stands, Norris leads the championship by 1 point
Norris is first.
Piastri is fifth.
As it stands, Lando Norris will lead the championship by 1 point to Oscar Piastri.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:27pm
60/71: Piastri passes Russell for fifth
Oscar Piastri is catching Russell.
The Aussie has DRS and lunges down the inside of George Russell.
HE NAILS IT.
Great move for the Australian.
He is fifth.
Can he catch Ollie Bearman in fourth?
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:25pm
59/71: Max Verstappen is catching Charles Leclerc for second
Just a note from the front, Max Verstappen is catching Charles Leclerc at a rate of knots.
Verstappen is on the soft tyre, which is much better than Leclerc’s medium tyre.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:23pm
57/71: Piastri is in DRS range of Russell
Oscar Piastri is continuing to fight.
He may lose the championship lead, but this has been his best drive since winning in the Netherlands.
Piastri is in DRS range of George Russell, and Russell does not have DRS.
Can the Australian make the move?
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:20pm
55/71: Piastri catching up to Russell
Oscar Piastri is now less than two seconds behind George Russell, who is fifth.
Russell is not making any inroads, at the moment, on Haas driver Oliver Bearman.
The top three — Norris, Leclerc and Verstappen — just need to guide their cars home for a podium finish.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:16pm
As it stands, Norris leads the championship by 3 points
If Norris wins, Piastri needs to finish fourth to retain the lead of the championship.
1h agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 9:15pm
51/71: The state of play
OK.
Lando Norris leads, by a mile.
Charles Leclerc is second, by half a mile.
Max Verstappen is now third, on older soft tyres.
Now, here are the drivers who have pitted twice.
4th: Oliver Bearman for Haas
5th: George Russell for Mercedes, 1.1 seconds back
6th: Oscar Piastri for McLaren, 3.5 seconds behind.
Piastri lost some time to Russell by needing to overtake Esteban Ocon, who has pitted just once.
It was a nice move from Piastri, but it took a bit of time.
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