Lando Norris has seized control of the 2025 Formula 1 title fight after a commanding performance at the Mexican Grand Prix, while Liam Lawson’s race ended in disappointment after an early retirement.
The McLaren driver was untouchable around the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, converting pole position into a lights-to-flag victory to claim his sixth win of the season, and with it, the lead of the Drivers’ Championship by a single point over teammate Oscar Piastri.
Lawson’s Sunday was over almost as soon as it began. Starting 15th, the Racing Bulls driver was caught up in a first-lap tangle with Williams’ Carlos Sainz, which left him with front-wing damage.
He pitted at the end of Lap 2 for repairs and a switch to hard tyres, but lingering damage from the contact proved terminal. After just six more laps, the Kiwi returned to the pits to retire, his fifth DNF of the season following earlier exits in Melbourne, Miami, Canada, and Silverstone.
The result means Lawson now holds the unwanted record for most retirements this season, one ahead of Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli.
The timing of Lawson’s retirement could not have been worse. With Red Bull set to finalise its 2026 driver lineup after Mexico, the weekend was viewed as a final chance for Lawson, Isack Hadjar, and Yuki Tsunoda to strengthen their cases.
Hadjar and Tsunoda also left Mexico empty-handed despite strong starting positions of eighth and tenth. The Frenchman slipped to 13th at the finish, while Tsunoda narrowly missed the points in 11th, almost 50 seconds behind his retiring teammate.
The trio remain tightly bunched in the standings, separated by just 11 points: Hadjar on 39, Lawson 30, and Tsunoda 28.
With Honda set to part ways with Red Bull to join Aston Martin next season, Lawson is understood to have an advantage over the Japanese driver for the remaining Racing Bulls seat.
Speaking ahead of the weekend, Lawson said he believed he had “done enough” to keep his place on the grid for 2026. But after a run of three consecutive non-scoring races since his fifth-place finish in Azerbaijan, his fate now lies in the hands of Red Bull management.
While Lawson’s day ended in heartbreak, Norris’s was one of pure triumph.
The Briton controlled proceedings from the moment the lights went out, surviving a frantic Turn 1 scramble that saw several cars run wide.
Despite early pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Norris quickly built a comfortable lead that only grew as the laps unfolded.
By the flag, the McLaren man crossed the line 30 seconds clear of the field, one of the largest victory margins in recent memory.
Behind him, Leclerc fended off a charging Max Verstappen in a thrilling finish for second, the Dutchman falling just 0.7 seconds short as a late Virtual Safety Car neutralised his attack.
Leclerc’s podium was enough to push Ferrari ahead of Mercedes in the Constructors’ standings, although McLaren had already secured the championship in Singapore.
One of the standout performers of the day was Haas rookie Ollie Bearman, who produced the race of his young career to take fourth — just shy of his maiden podium.
The 19-year-old ran in the top five for much of the afternoon, even holding Verstappen at bay in the early stages before eventually conceding the position.
Piastri rounded out the top five, a result that saw him lose his championship lead to Norris by just one point. Antonelli and George Russell finished sixth and seventh for Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton eighth after serving a 10-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during a wheel-to-wheel battle with Verstappen.
Esteban Ocon added more points for Haas in ninth, while rookie Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top ten for Kick Sauber.
While Lawson, Fernando Alonso, and Nico Hülkenberg had all retired earlier in the race due to mechanical issues, the final drama came in the closing laps when Sainz stopped in the stadium section, triggering a brief Virtual Safety Car.
It came just as Verstappen was closing in on Leclerc for second and as Piastri was chasing Bearman for fourth, freezing both battles until the final corners.
When the VSC ended with half a lap to go, there was no time left for anyone to change their fate. Norris took the chequered flag to claim his tenth career victory, and perhaps his most dominant to date.
Formula 1 now heads to São Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix, featuring the penultimate Sprint weekend of the year. For Norris, it’s a chance to extend his slender title lead. For Lawson, it could be an anxious wait as Red Bull’s evaluation process moves into its final stages.
2025 MEXICAN GRAND PRIX – RACE RESULTS
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Esteban Ocon (Haas)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
Did Not Finish: Carlos Sainz (Williams), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber), Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
Header Image: Hector Vivas/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool
