Norris dominates Mexico qualifying – Piastri lags behind

McLaren driver Lando Norris dominated qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix, securing pole position. Things are looking very different for teammate Oscar Piastri, who still leads the World Championship standings.

26 October 2025

From: apa

McLaren driver Lando Norris secured pole position by a clear margin. The Briton was significantly faster than the opposition on Saturday, with the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc (+0,262 seconds) and Lewis Hamilton (+0,352) following behind. World champion Max Verstappen could only manage fifth place (+0,484) in the Red Bull, while championship leader Oscar Piastri (+0,588) will start from seventh in the second McLaren.

Piastri had only finished eighth in the time trial at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, more than 2.240 meters above sea level. The Australian, now only 14 points ahead of Norris in the World Championship battle, benefited from a penalty imposed on seventh-placed Williams driver Carlos Sainz, who will start five places further back in Sunday's race (9:00 p.m. CET/live on ServusTV and Sky).

Lewis Hamilton will start the Mexican Grand Prix from third place. © APA/afp / ALFREDO ESTRELLA

"What a lap. I don't even know how I managed it," Norris radioed to the pits in surprise after his fifth pole position of the year. For McLaren, it was the first pole position in Mexico since Gerhard Berger took it in 1990.