Lando Norris delivered a stunning performance for McLaren on Saturday, seizing pole position for the Mexico City Grand Prix with a last-gasp lap that significantly boosts his Formula 1 world championship aspirations. The British driver outpaced Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to secure the top starting spot....Click to Read More >>➤

Norris’s championship-leading teammate, Oscar Piastri, endured a difficult session, qualifying a disappointing eighth. This places Piastri three spots behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who remains a key contender in the title fight. With this result, Norris has positioned himself perfectly to close the 14-point gap to Piastri, while Verstappen sits 40 points back from the lead.

The 25-year-old’s blistering lap of one minute and 15.586 seconds was 0.262 seconds quicker than Leclerc. Hamilton secured third, three-tenths adrift, marking a strong qualifying result for the seven-time champion. George Russell put the second Mercedes in fourth, followed by Verstappen in fifth.

McLaren’s Mexico Milestone

The session marked a major milestone for Norris and his team. This pole position is his first in Mexico City, his fifth of the current season, and the 14th of his impressive career. It also marks McLaren’s first pole at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez since 1990, ending a long drought at the circuit.

“I’m happy to be back on pole, it’s been a long time,” said Norris, whose last pole came at the Belgian Grand Prix in July. “My lap – it was one of those laps where you don’t know what happened – it felt decent, but when I saw it was a 15.5, I was surprised. I’ve had some good races here in the past and I’ll just focus on what I can control.”

Norris acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating his clear intention for the race. “I’m here to win. I’ll be looking forward, I have some quick guys behind me — I’m not expecting it to be easy.” His performance solidifies his standing as a serious championship contender, putting immense pressure on his rivals.

Leclerc, who will start alongside Norris on the front row, described a tricky session. “It was a difficult qualifying because there is so little grip. It’s very tricky, but I am happy with the job I’ve done,” the Ferrari driver commented.

Hamilton’s Strong Ferrari Signing

For Lewis Hamilton, third place represented a significant breakthrough in his final season with Mercedes before moving to Ferrari. “I am so happy. I am honoured to be here with these guys who have been so quick all year – and my first top three all year!” an elated Hamilton exclaimed.

The qualifying hour unfolded in hot conditions and a vibrant atmosphere. The early pace was set by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso before others, including Nico Hülkenberg and then Norris, took their turns at the top. The session saw a surprise performance from Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, who briefly led Q1, marking the first time a driver from that team has topped any segment of qualifying this year.

The elimination phases were intensely close, with tyre performance and track temperature proving critical. Several notable drivers, including both Alpines, Lance Stroll, and Alex Albon, failed to progress beyond the first segment.

In Q2, Norris again demonstrated strong pace, setting a time four-tenths clear of the field. Piastri, however, struggled and reported a powertrain issue, only just scraping into the top-ten shootout in seventh place. The session saw the elimination of Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hülkenberg, Fernando Alonso, and Liam Lawson.

The final Q3 session set the stage for Norris’s dramatic pole. Verstappen initially went to ...Click to Read More >>➤