Mexico City Grand Prix driver ratings: Norris leads perfect 10s; Sainz sorrow

Lando Norris leads the Drivers’ Championship once more following a flawless drive to Mexico City Grand Prix victory.

After that display, Norris is one of two drivers to emerge from the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez with a perfect score, while Carlos Sainz finds himself at the other end of the scale after a chaotic race. Our Mexico City Grand Prix driver ratings are in.

2025 Mexico City Grand Prix driver ratings

Lando Norris – 10

Starting the Mexico City Grand Prix from pole is a dangerous place, they say. Lando Norris did not get the memo.

It was a perfect launch from the McLaren driver, and after the lead was rightfully returned following some chicane-cutting shenanigans behind, he never looked back. With a final victory margin of 30 seconds over Charles Leclerc, Norris utterly dominated the race.

Norris returned to the top of the Drivers’ Championship with that win, and after a performance like that, he just became the favourite for the crown.

Charles Leclerc – 9

Leclerc was one of those drivers requiring the run-off at the start. Caught in a Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen sandwich, Leclerc was reduced to praying as he banged wheels with the sister Ferrari and cut Turn 2, but returned to the track unscathed.

Leclerc settled back into second after all that drama calmed down, and with the help of a late Virtual Safety Car, was able to repel Verstappen to secure second place, making it back-to-back podiums.

Max Verstappen – 9

Verstappen relinquished third on the road to Hamilton after cutting the opening corner, while part two between these former title rivals opened the door for an unexpected benefactor. More on that to come.

However, Verstappen responded magnificently, his alternate strategy of medium to soft tyres placing him right on Leclerc’s gearbox in the closing laps. If it were not for that VSC to cover Sainz’s stricken Williams, Verstappen could well have clinched second.

Nonetheless, with that podium he keeps himself firmly in the title picture, 36 points behind new leader Norris.

Oliver Bearman – 10

As Hamilton, Verstappen and George Russell went at it, Oliver Bearman ensured that he was perfectly placed to capitalise in his Haas, swooping by into fourth. When Hamilton was later penalised, that became third.

Haas and Bearman went for a two-stop strategy, one which kept Russell at bay, though with track position conceded to Verstappen, closing down the reigning four-time World Champion proved a step too far.

He would though see off former Championship leader Piastri to secure a remarkable P4 result, his best yet in Formula 1, achieved via his best performance to date. Take a bow.

Oscar Piastri – 7

Having been on the back foot versus Norris in a major way throughout much of the race weekend, Piastri needed a serious recovery drive on Sunday.

Sadly, he spent too much time cooped up behind Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull and George Russell’s Mercedes, while the starring Bearman proved a hurdle which Piastri could not overcome.

All in all, going from seventh to fifth was not too bad, and at least ensured that Norris moved just the one point ahead.

Kimi Antonelli – 8

Another driver to benefit from Hamilton, Verstappen and Russell going at it, Kimi Antonelli found himself as the lead Mercedes from that point on.

He obliged with a team order to allow Russell through, and act as a defence versus Piastri. But, with that perhaps overly delayed plan failing to block Piastri’s ascent, Antonelli requested for the swap to be reversed. It quite rightly was. Antonelli pressed on to sixth place in what was an accomplished drive.

George Russell – 6

Russell smelt that podium, and insisted on going for it despite Mercedes’ pleas to manage brake temperatures. A slicker stop could well have got him out ahead of Bearman as the pair stopped on Lap 49, though Russell had not applied the kind of pressure perhaps expected of him on the younger Brit.

Ultimately, the hammer blow for Russell was Piastri completing the overtake at Turn 1 on Lap 60, despite the Mercedes switcheroo initially putting an Antonelli-shaped barricade between them, one which Russell campaigned for ferociously over the radio.

It just was not quite Russell’s day in Mexico City.

Lewis Hamilton – 6

Sensing a shot at his first Ferrari podium, Lewis Hamilton’s hopes went up in smoke owing to a 10-second time penalty. He picked that up for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in Turn 4 combat with Verstappen, which resulted in Hamilton on the grass.

Hamilton worked his way back into the top 10, despite potentially carrying floor damage, with P8 his final result for the third time in four races.

Esteban Ocon – 8

Bearman stole the headlines for Haas in Mexico, but Esteban Ocon also did a good job in the sister VF-25.

Chipping in with two points, Ocon played his part in upping the pressure on Racing Bulls in sixth in the Constructors’ Championship. The gap has shrunk to 10 points.

Gabriel Bortoleto – 8

A strong drive to P10 meant a 19th point of the season for Gabriel Bortoleto, who continues to shine in his rookie F1 season with Sauber.

He sealed that result with a nice move on Isack Hadjar around the outside of T1.

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Yuki Tsunoda – 6

Held off Piastri well in the early stages, but faded as his medium tyres aged. P11 it was for Yuki Tsunoda, with an F1 2026 return to Racing Bulls on the cards.

Alex Albon – 7

Not happy with the “worst strategy” of being told to swap positions with Williams teammate Sainz at Turn 1. Obliged and drove on to a rather low key P12.

Isack Hadjar – 6

Started eighth on mediums, but the soft tyres wilted for Isack Hadjar in the closing stages. Dropped to 13th at the finish line.

Lance Stroll – 6

Lost his Aston Martin on the opening lap and went into a spin. P14 was the extent of the recovery.

Pierre Gasly – 6

Little more Pierre Gasly could do in the Alpine. Crossed the line fifteenth, the penultimate finisher.

Franco Colapinto – 6

Caught out by Stroll at the start, dipped the right wheel on the grass and went spinning. P16 the final result.

DNF

Fernando Alonso – 7

Escaped damage after T1 contact with Ocon, and cleared alongside Sainz over leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Retired on Lap 35 with a suspected brake issue.

Nico Hulkenberg – 6

A relatively anonymous race for Nico Hulkenberg. Retired on Lap 27, having suffered from power unit issues on the formation lap.

Liam Lawson – 6

Sustained damage after colliding with Sainz at the start. Required a new front wing. Retired in the closing stages due to earlier damage.

Carlos Sainz – 5

Pitting for soft tyres on Lap 18, a 5.1 second stop was far from ideal for Sainz, as was cutting the T1 grass soon after. He went on to receive a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane, and a drive through for doing it again.

Sainz put that down to a technical gremlin in his “jumping” Williams.

He parked the car in the closing stages, triggering a Virtual Safety Car which took the sting out of Leclerc versus Verstappen and Bearman v Piastri.

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