McLaren’s Lando Norris has secured a crucial pole in the 2025 Formula 1 title race at the Mexico Grand Prix, amid struggles for rivals Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri.
At Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Norris fended off a challenge from Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to secure his first pole since the Belgian Grand Prix, toppling initial Q3 leader Leclerc with a 1m15.586s lap.
Hamilton was third ahead of Russell, while reigning world champion Max Verstappen struggled for grip in the fast second sector and could only manage fifth.
That was still better than championship leader Oscar Piastri, who had looked a step behind Norris all weekend and qualified eighth behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Carlos Sainz, although the latter will take a five-place grid penalty.
Isack Hadjar and Oliver Bearman excelled to make it into Q3, and the rookie duo will share the fifth row on Sunday.
Q2: Piastri already suffers scare
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Q2 was topped by Norris’ 1m16.252s, two tenths clear of Hamilton and three ahead of Russell, Verstappen and Sainz.
In the other McLaren, Piastri laboured to advance to the top 10 shootout. The Australian was tenth after the first run, albeit on used soft tyres, but even on new softs the championship leader struggled to keep up with the frontrunners.
Piastri eventually advanced in seventh, just 0.079s ahead of 11th-placed Yuki Tsunoda.
Alongside Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg were eliminated. Fernando Alonso was only 14th in the quickest Aston Martin, while a botched final lap cost 15th-placed Liam Lawson.
Q1: Hadjar leads while Albon qualifying struggle continues
In Q1 it quickly became apparent track conditions were rapidly improving, with drivers trying to eke out two push laps on a single set of tyres as the track gripped up. It made for a jumbled-up order, with Racing Bulls rookie Hadjar topping the session from Hamilton, Russell and Norris.
Verstappen went through in ninth after struggling for adhesion through the high-speed sector two Esses, which would become a recurring theme, ahead of Piastri.
Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto was the first driver to be eliminated in 16th, followed by another poor showing for Alex Albon in the Williams.
At the back of the field, Alpine duo Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto were split by Aston’s Lance Stroll, with Colapinto left to rue a mistake which ruined a more promising looking lap.
Mexico Grand Prix – Qualifying
We want to hear from you!
Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.
Take our survey
– The Autosport.com Team
Read the full article here