Mexico City Grand Prix: 3 Winners & Losers
28th October 2025McLaren’s Lando Norris returned to the top of the drivers’ standings in a hectic Mexico City Grand Prix, filled with wheel-to-wheel racing from start to finish. Here are my three winners and losers from Sunday’s race.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
Winners
Lando Norris
Returning to the top of the drivers’ championship for the first time since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Norris had a stellar return to form in Mexico. Leading from start to finish, Norris dominated from the front following a good launch which saw him avoid the first-lap melee. A confident and assured drive saw the Brit finish 30 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc in second, in a weekend that saw him finish ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri for the fifth consecutive race.
Ollie Bearman
Scoring a career-best P4 and equalling Haas’s all-time highest grand prix finish, Bearman had an unforgettable weekend in Mexico. Capitalising on the first lap turmoil, Bearman made up three places before completing a double overtake on lap six to claim P4, where he would eventually finish the race. Voted Driver of the Day, the British driver certainly deserved the accolade.
Charles Leclerc
Leclerc made it back-to-back podiums in Mexico, holding off the charging Verstappen – with the help of a late race VSC – to secure P2. An impressive front row in qualifying set up an interesting turn one for the Monegasque, with a three-car wide battle between himself, Verstappen and Hamilton almost ending in disaster.
Leclerc managed to maintain his position and built a solid gap out in second, before title-challenging Verstappen came within two-tenths of the Ferrari driver on lap 70. Carlos Sainz’s accident caused the VSC to end any danger, confirming Leclerc’s well-deserved second place.
Losers
Carlos Sainz
A lap one collision with RB’s Liam Lawson saw Sainz take damage that would plague his race, leading to multiple penalties before eventually retiring on lap 70.
Damage to Sainz’s pit lane limiter sensor saw him caught speeding in the pit lane, receiving two penalties throughout the race before mechanical issues caught up to him. Having initially qualified P7 on Saturday, Sainz’s five-place grid drop for his collision with Mercedes Kimi Antonelli, at the United States Grand Prix, came back to haunt him in a weekend to forget for the Spaniard.
Aston Martin
Lance Stroll’s 14th Q1 exit of the season and a P14 start for Fernando Alonso set low race-day expectations for the British team. A mistake on lap one saw Stroll spinning to the back of the field, only being able to recover to P14 by the end of the race. Alonso also took slight wing damage, hampering his race before eventually being forced to retire on lap 38 due to mechanical issues. Another disappointing weekend for Lawrence Stroll’s outfit.
Liam Lawson
In a weekend that could have proved crucial for his future Formula One career, Lawson’s race was over almost as soon as it began. Having initially breezed through Q1, a mistake in Q2 saw Lawson lining up 15th for Sunday. Caught in the turn one crossfire, the Kiwi sustained significant damage to his car from Sainz. Following an initial front wing change, Lawson was forced to pit to retire on lap five as the damage on his car was deemed too excessive.
Read more Formula 1 here:
- FIA give reasoning for Lewis Hamilton’s time penalty at Mexico City Grand Prix
- Who finished where at the Mexico City Grand Prix?
- Lando Norris wins in Mexico City Grand Prix as Oscar Piastri loses championship lead
- Who will start where at the Mexico City Grand Prix?
- Lando Norris takes Mexico City Grand Prix pole as Oscar Piastri takes title blow
- Lando Norris tops final practice at Mexico City Grand Prix
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