Lando Norris achieved a remarkable victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing 30 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Max Verstappen secured third place, narrowing the gap to the F1 drivers’ championship leader, who has overtaken Oscar Piastri, his McLaren teammate, by a single point.
There was significant speculation regarding the Australian’s unexpected decline in performance lately, while Liam Lawson experienced a frightening near-collision just three laps into the 71-lap race.
This is how various media outlets worldwide responded to the 20th F1 season round, the Mexico City Grand Prix.
🇬🇧 The Times – Flawless Lando Norris Takes Championship Lead and Momentum
The Times highlighted Norris’ outstanding performance throughout the weekend, emphasizing his reclaiming the lead in the F1 drivers’ championship from Oscar Piastri.
With this victory, Norris, now a 10-time grand prix winner, leads the standings by a solitary point over his teammate, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen remains 35 points behind.
The publication noted the momentum gained from Norris’ “flawless” weekend in Mexico, marking the best of his career and the largest margin of victory, at 30 seconds, in over two years.
🇳🇱 De Telegraaf – Liam Lawson Averts Formula 1 Tragedy in Mexico
De Telegraaf focused on a concerning incident that occurred during the 71-lap race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
On the third lap, Lawson, fresh from the pit lane, came across two marshals on the track at Turn 1, leaving him shocked, and he expressed that he could have “killed” them.
The FIA issued a statement post-race clarifying the event, mentioning that an order to work on the track was rescinded as Lawson entered the pits, but the marshals had not received the updated message.
🇮🇹 La Gazzetta dello Sport – Leclerc: “Saved by Virtual? Maybe, but What a Race!”
La Gazzetta dello Sport concentrated on Leclerc’s podium finish, highlighting how a virtual safety car caused by Carlos Sainz in the final laps protected him from further challenges from Verstappen.
“I was very glad to see the [virtual] safety car in the last two laps,” Leclerc remarked to reporters, including RacingNews365.
He added that without the safety car, Verstappen would have had a better chance of overtaking him, especially with the medium tires, which didn’t feel right from start to finish.
🇪🇸 El País – Mexico Embraces Saint Verstappen, Jeers for Norris
El País led its article with Verstappen, depicted in a saintly manner, but it mainly discussed the booing directed at Lando Norris during qualifying and the race.
Post-race comments revealed that the antagonism stemmed from perceived favoritism at McLaren, particularly regarding the changes made during the Monza event.
Additionally, the article traced the roots of the jeers to earlier seasons when Norris critiqued Mexican hero Checo Pérez, implying that Norris could also win with a Red Bull car.
🇳🇿 The New Zealand Herald – Liam Lawson Awaits Future as Red Bull Delays Driver Decisions
The New Zealand Herald took a distinct approach, focusing on Lawson’s situation following the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko stated that the team would announce its driver lineup for the 2026 F1 season after the race, but team principal Laurent Mekies suggested there might be a delay in that decision.
Lawson is in contention to remain with Racing Bulls, competing against Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, and Arvid Lindblad for three seats, though he is not expected to secure the spot alongside Max Verstappen.
🇦🇺 Herald Sun – Piastri’s Major Admission: ‘Change How I Was Driving’
The Herald Sun reported on unfounded sabotage allegations concerning Piastri at McLaren, as many were baffled by his recent performance dip over the Austin-Mexico double header.
Team principal Andrea Stella stated that a thorough inspection of Piastri’s car showed no issues.
“All evidence, data, and indirect measurements confirm there’s no problem with the car, and we see no reason to suspect anything,” Stella emphasized.
Piastri is actually struggling to find pace on low-grip surfaces, which has led him to rethink his driving approach in the last two rounds.
