After an enormous race weekend in Austin, one other one awaits because the groups make the comparatively brief journey south to Mexico Metropolis. With 40 factors protecting the highest three drivers within the championship and loads of younger drivers set to get monitor time, it’s going to be one other action-packed three days of monitor operating on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
McLaren concentrating on a fast response
Solely per week in the past, within the build-up to Austin, we identified how the Drivers’ Championship image may change shortly throughout the approaching double header. The primary a part of that definitely delivered on that entrance, with america Grand Prix seeing Max Verstappen shut the hole to Oscar Piastri to only 40 factors.
It’s a exceptional run of type over the previous 4 races that has seen Verstappen take 64 factors out of Piastri’s lead, and with 5 rounds to go he’s very a lot within the title combine. However having one other race only one weekend later can work each methods.
Verstappen’s current type makes him an actual risk, and Red Bull will hope to proceed the momentum they’ve constructed up since Monza, however McLaren have nonetheless had a fast automobile in that point. Piastri struggled to match Lando Norris for tempo at Circuit of The Americas, however the lead McLaren was very a lot on par with Verstappen’s efficiency degree when not combating Charles Leclerc.
The stress may be constructing on McLaren, however one sturdy weekend can alleviate a few of that, whereas Verstappen says he must be “excellent” each time to remain within the body.
Video games between rival groups
As we attain the enterprise finish of the season and the title battle hots up between not solely the McLaren drivers however Verstappen as nicely, so too does the stress between the groups themselves.
In Austin, Purple Bull have been fined €50,000 – of which €25,000 is suspended till the tip of the season – for a group member getting into the realm round an entry gate within the pit wall after the formation lap had began.
Though the stewards’ verdict didn’t make any particular claims about why the group member entered the realm, there have been solutions within the paddock that they have been attempting to take away a strip of tape on the pit wall that had been positioned there by McLaren to attempt to assist Lando Norris line up within the optimum place in his grid slot. McLaren including that tape just isn’t towards the principles – however neither is eradicating it.
Purple Bull boss Laurent Mekies was requested in regards to the incident in his post-race media briefing in Austin, saying: “I feel we have been summoned as a result of it was felt that someday throughout the grid procedures, one among our guys had not adopted the official directions and we spoke with our folks, they’re very optimistic that they’ve adopted our directions always, so I feel it is in all probability a misunderstanding there.”
Regardless, the rumours will doubtless ramp up the rivalry between the 2 groups getting into the ultimate 5 race weekends of the yr.
One among Ferrari’s higher probabilities to win?
It has been a troublesome 2025 for Ferrari to this point, with no race victory to their title after such a powerful finish to 2024 that noticed them combating for the Groups’ Championship with McLaren.
As a part of final yr’s title run-in, Ferrari had a very productive double header once they received each Austin and Mexico, as Charles Leclerc led house a 1-2 at Circuit of The Americas earlier than Carlos Sainz triumphed on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Though the extent of efficiency has not been to fairly the identical degree to this point this season, there was nonetheless a powerful exhibiting in Austin as Leclerc completed third and Lewis Hamilton fourth, each qualifying nicely on Saturday after a tough begin to the weekend.
Leclerc was having to defend from Norris for a lot of the race, however regardless of shedding out in that battle, he was nonetheless aggressive in comparison with race winner Verstappen, and the restoration after a troublesome Friday was spectacular.
If final yr can be utilized as a barometer, then Ferrari may nicely be nearer to the entrance as soon as once more this weekend – and if they’ll get their automobile working amid the distinctive traits of Mexico Metropolis, it may very well be an outdoor risk for victory.
Loads of FP1 rookies
Ever because the guidelines have been made necessary for groups to run a rookie driver in a choose variety of FP1 periods every year, just a few conventional venues have emerged when groups make use of their younger skills.
A kind of is Mexico City, because of the nature of the circuit – as in, not a avenue circuit resembling Las Vegas, Singapore or Azerbaijan – and the actual fact it’s not a Dash weekend. Austin, Brazil and Qatar all see only one FP1 session held, so groups can’t afford to take that away from one among their race drivers.
So this weekend in Mexico there can be loads of rookies trying to make a superb impression, together with at Aston Martin the place American Jak Crawford will make his FP1 debut, and at Williams the place Crawford’s F2 title rival Luke Browning additionally will get one other outing.
There’s a change at McLaren, too, the place house hero Pato O’Ward will hope to impress whereas additionally attempting to assist the group’s possibilities of getting again to successful methods.
One driver not participating but in addition within the information this week is O’Ward’s former IndyCar rival Colton Herta, who has now had his 2026 plans confirmed after signing with Hitech for a Formula 2 season.
A singular problem
The great thing about a 24-race System 1 calendar is the big selection of venues we race on throughout a yr, with totally different traits and climates throughout the 21 international locations that host a Grand Prix.
But some races stand out greater than others as being notably totally different, and Mexico Metropolis is one among them because of the altitude of the circuit. Situated greater than 2,200m above sea degree – and a few 1,400m greater than the subsequent highest venue on the schedule – the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez gives a stern take a look at.
The thinner air at such an altitude has a huge impact on each the automobile’s aerodynamics and energy unit efficiency, with successfully much less air hitting the automobile. Which means even a excessive downforce set-up – akin to Monaco ranges – could have a low-downforce feeling resembling at Monza, with vehicles sliding round extra.
The facility unit additionally doesn’t get as a lot air into it, doubtlessly impacting reliability, whereas that air can be then much less efficient at cooling parts on the automobile. Typically drivers must make a transfer shortly or drop again for a little bit of clear area to maintain the automobile cool, including to the concerns throughout a race.
All of it performs out in entrance of one of the crucial vocal and vibrant crowds of the yr, with the large numbers that encompass the monitor within the Foro Sol part on the finish of the lap a specific spotlight.
