In Pictures: Mexico 2025
Formula 1’s American journey continued with a trip south for the Mexico City Grand Prix, held one week after the round in Austin. As always, the atmosphere inside the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was electric, fueled by the exuberance of fans who packed the grandstands in the spectacular Foro Sol stadium section, one of the most photogenic spots on the entire calendar. The setting was also breathtaking in a literal sense, as the circuit sits more than two thousand meters above sea level, and the thin air had a significant effect on car performance.
THE TRACK
The race was run over 71 laps of the 4.304-kilometer Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, which features 17 corners. Its defining characteristic is its altitude, over 2,200 meters (7,218 feet) above sea level, where the thin air reduces aerodynamic downforce, making car setup and technical management particularly demanding for the teams.
The main straight, stretching over 1.2 kilometers, allowed cars to reach very high top speeds thanks in part to the minimal downforce levels. The track surface was notably smooth and initially offered little grip at the start of the weekend, as it sees limited use during the year. As the sessions progressed, it gradually rubbered in, improving lap times. Drivers also had to be cautious under braking, since tire surface temperatures dropped quickly along the two long straights. Due to its unusual layout, Mexico City also featured one of the lowest numbers of gear changes per lap on the calendar.
FRIDAY
A record nine rookies took part in FP1: Frederik Vesti (Mercedes), Patricio O’Ward (McLaren), Ayumu Iwasa (Racing Bulls), Antonio Fuoco (Ferrari), Luke Browning (Williams), Paul Aron (Alpine), Ryo Hirakawa (Haas), Jak Crawford (Aston Martin), and Arvid Lindblad (Red Bull Racing), the latter impressing as the best of the group, finishing sixth fastest. Sauber was the only team to field both of its regular drivers in the opening session.
All drivers, rookies and veterans alike, had to deal with the usual challenges of the Mexican circuit, most of them linked to its altitude: low downforce, limited grip from the dusty surface, and track temperatures roughly six degrees higher than in FP1 last year.
Max Verstappen set the tone for the weekend, topping the timesheets at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez at the end of Friday practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Red Bull Racing driver clocked a best lap of 1:17.392, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, fastest in the opening session, just 0.153 seconds behind. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli continued to impress, finishing third, 0.174 seconds off Verstappen’s pace. Verstappen’s two main rivals in the Drivers’ Championship, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, ended the day fourth and twelfth fastest respectively.
SATURDAY
In FP3, the focus was firmly on qualifying, unsurprising given that no driver had won this race from lower than third on the grid since it returned to the calendar in 2015. Lando Norris set the pace with a 1:16.633, delivering a near-perfect lap that was quickest in all three sectors. That time was about one and a half tenths slower than the best FP3 lap from last year, likely due to the higher track temperatures on Saturday.
Norris carried that momentum into qualifying, securing pole position for the Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez with a 1:15.586. It marked the McLaren driver’s fifth pole of the season, his first in Mexico, and the 14th of his career.
He faced close competition from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was fastest after the first Q3 runs but ultimately had to settle for second, just 0.262 seconds adrift, with a lap of 1:15.848. The second row of the grid featured Lewis Hamilton in the other Ferrari, third with a 1:15.938, alongside Mercedes’ George Russell in fourth.
The third row lined up with championship contender Max Verstappen (Red Bull) in fifth and Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli in sixth. Last year’s Mexico City winner, Carlos Sainz, qualified seventh, one place ahead of championship leader Oscar Piastri, but the Spaniard was serving a five-place grid penalty from Austin for the Mexico race.
Jim Clark still holds the record for the most pole positions in Mexico City, dating back to when the circuit was known as Magdalena Mixhuca.
SUNDAY
Having produced the perfect lap on Saturday to clinch pole position, Lando Norris converted it into victory on Sunday at the Mexico City Grand Prix. It was the Englishman’s tenth career win, his sixth of the season, his first since Hungary, and his first ever in Mexico. It also marked McLaren’s 13th win of the year, its 202nd overall, and its fourth in Mexico City.
As is often the case here, the long run down to Turn 1 made for a chaotic opening lap, with the leaders going four abreast into the corner. The stewards had to step in to determine who had gained an advantage, with Lewis Hamilton coming off worst — he was handed a ten-second penalty to be served at his pit stop.
Charles Leclerc brought his Ferrari home second, finishing 30.324 seconds behind the winner. In the closing laps, he had to fend off a hard-charging Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), who kept his championship hopes alive by fighting his way to the final podium spot. With two laps remaining, Verstappen was right on Leclerc’s gearbox and looked poised to pass, but a Virtual Safety Car was deployed, and the race only went “green” again with half a lap to go, allowing Leclerc to hang on to second place.
The biggest surprise of the day came from Oliver Bearman, who delivered a sensational drive in his first full Formula 1 season, bringing his Haas home in fourth from ninth on the grid. He even ran as high as third for much of the race, earning his best-ever F1 result.
The excitement in the Drivers’ Championship continued to build with four races remaining, as Norris moved into the lead, one point ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, while Verstappen now sits 36 points behind, with four Grands Prix and two Sprint Races still to go this season.
The 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix once again showcased the sport’s unique blend of passion and unpredictability. From the sea of fans in the Foro Sol stadium to the strategic tension on track, every lap reflected why this event has become one of Formula 1’s modern classics. With the championship fight now tighter than ever and the season heading into its final stretch, the energy of Mexico provided the perfect backdrop for another unforgettable chapter in F1 history.
NEXT STOP: The land of Samba, BRAZIL 🇧🇷
Excerpts and media courtesy of Pirelli S.p.A. and official Formula 1 Team Press Offices. All images are credited to their respective copyright holders and used for editorial purposes only.
