Lando Norris takes pole position at the Mexican GP
MEXICO CITY.- Lando Norris He made, almost accidentally, the perfect lap and reaffirmed his dominance in qualifying, by taking pole position for the Mexico City Formula 1 Grand Prix of 2025 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where his rivals for the championship, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen They had disappointing performances.
Norris became, with a time of 1:15.586, the first McLaren in having the privileged position in Mexico since 1990, when Gerhard Berger did it ahead of Riccardo Patrese and Ayrton Senna.
“Happy to be on pole again, it’s a nice feeling. It felt like a decent lap, but it surprised me,” he said. Norris.
It was also pole number 14 for Lando Norris in his F1 career and fifth of the season.
The two stood behind Norris. Ferrariwith Charles Leclerc in second and Lewis Hamilton in third.
The strange thing was the problems that the championship leader suffered, Oscar Piastriwho could barely put the eighth best time in Q3, but will start in seventh due to the five-place penalty he was carrying Carlos Sainz from Austin.
TO Max Verstappen it was barely enough for fifth place, behind George Russell.
Q1: Hadjar surprises with the best time and Verstappen advanced in ninth.
Oscar PiastrAnd, in his first fast lap attempt, he looked like he did in FP2 again. On this occasion it was 7 tenths away from Lando Norriswhich was caused by a failure in the DRS.
Meanwhile, the Red Bull of Max Verstappen was placed 159 thousandths behind the 1:17.106 of the McLaren Norriswhich later improved to a 1:16.899 with the same set of soft tires that lasted 7 laps, which speaks of the low degradation of the track.
Another in trouble in the first part of Q1 was Lewis Hamiltonwho reported that his tires were getting too hot.
The surprise put her Oliver Bearmanwho was momentarily the owner of the third best time.
The final attempts at ‘flying lap’ came and, to begin with, the Racing Bulls of Isaac Hadjar and Liam Lawson were placed in P1 and P3, above Verstappen, which could only have been fifth at that time and ninth at the end.
The track was evolving rapidly: more rubber, less dust and more speed. The trick is to find the best window of tire performance.
For the Argentine, Franco Colapintor it was a regrettable session with a mistake on his second attempt that, in the end, relegated him to last position. But in its defense it must be said that all the cars were within one second, which speaks of the level of competitiveness of today’s F1.
Q1 result
1.-Hadjar
2.- Hamilton
3.- Russell
4.- Norris
5.- Ocon
6.- Lawson
7.- Leclerc
8.- Bearman
9.- Verstappen
10.- Piastri
11.- Sainz
12. Alonso
13.- Tsunoda
14.- Hulkenberg
15.- Antonelli
Eliminated
16.- Bortoleto
17.- Albon
18.- Gasly
19.- Stroll
20.- Colapinto
Q2: Norris looks relentless, Verstappen without punch and Piastri very weak
Piastristrangely, was in the elimination zone, after the first attempts, with just the tenth best time, one second behind Norris. According to the Australian, the problem was in Turn 5, where his power unit had a problem.
The championship leader struggled to advance to Q3 and was barely able to do so in seventh place.
Verstappen I couldn’t find the speed and Norris He looked relentless heading into Q3.
Lawson He had two failed attempts to turn; In both he suffered minor mistakes, but they ruined his chances of putting a time.
All the cars that advanced were within a space of 552 thousandths.
Q2 result
1.- Norris
2.- Hamilton
3.- Russell
4.- Verstappen
5.- Sainz
6.- Leclerc
7.- Piastri
8.- Antonelli
9.- Bearman
10.-Hadjar
Eliminated
11.- Tsunoda
12.- Ocon
13.- Hulkenberg
14.- Alonso
15.- Lawson
Q3: Norris hits the table in his last start
In the first fast lap attempt, Verstappen He set a 1:16.455 that seemed good, but Norris He quickly took the turn to another level with 1:16.170, but he didn’t count on the Ferrari of Leclerc It will go down the 1:16 line and clock 1:15.991.
On the second attempt, when it seemed that the Ferrari they could take pole position as in the previous two years, Norris left everyone cold with a lap of 1:15.586, while Verstappen He will start fifth and his teammate seventh.
Carlos Sainz He qualified in seventh, but the five-place penalty he received in austin will take him up to position 12.
Q3 result
1.- Norris
2.- Leclerc
3.- Hamilton
4.- Russell
5.- Verstappen
6.- Antonelli
7.- Sainz
8.- Piastri
9.-Hadjar
10.- Bearman
Starting grid for the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix
1.- Norris
2.- Leclerc
3.- Hamilton
4.- Russell
5.- Verstappen
6.- Antonelli
7.- Piastri
8.-Hadjar
9.- Bearman
10.- Tsunoda
11.- Ocon
12.- Sainz
13.- Hulkenberg
14.- Alonso
15.- Lawson
16.- Bortoleto
17.- Albon
18.- Gasly
19.- Stroll
20.- Colapinto
