Verstappen Limits Damage in Mexico, Norris Takes Championship Lead

Verstappen's Recovery Drive Secures Podium in Chaotic Mexico GP

Max Verstappen delivered a damage-limitation performance at the Mexico City Grand Prix, fighting from fifth on the grid to secure a podium finish while acknowledging his championship hopes have become significantly more challenging. The Red Bull driver finished third behind race winner Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc, with Norris now taking the championship lead for the first time since the season opener in Bahrain.

'It was a difficult weekend and I actually didn't expect a podium after yesterday,' Verstappen admitted after the race. 'The start was hectic, I was a bit rally driving. Pretty fun actually, but I had a lot of trouble keeping up with the drivers in front of me.'

Dramatic Opening Laps and Strategic Masterstroke

The race began with chaos as cars went four-wide into the first corner, with Verstappen drifting across the grass during the opening lap. The Dutch driver also had a close encounter with Lewis Hamilton that saw both drivers run wide, though Verstappen escaped penalty while Hamilton received a 10-second time penalty.

Red Bull's strategic decision to make only one pit stop proved crucial, allowing Verstappen to switch to the faster soft tires late in the race and mount a charge on Leclerc for second place. 'I was surprised everyone started on the softs,' Verstappen noted. 'The VSC (Virtual Safety Car) wasn't really frustrating. Sometimes you have luck, sometimes bad luck. I think it would have been a nice duel. For the public it would have been nicer too, but for Charles maybe a bit less.'

Championship Picture Tightens Dramatically

With Norris's victory, the championship standings have been completely reshuffled. Norris now leads with 357 points, just one point ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri (356 points), while Verstappen sits third with 321 points - 36 points behind the new leader.

'I lost 10 points to Lando, that's how I see it,' Verstappen stated. 'We needed a perfect weekend and this wasn't it. Statistically it's still possible, but then we have to win all the races. Otherwise it's not going to happen.'

The four-time world champion has staged a remarkable comeback in recent weeks, cutting what was once a 104-point deficit to Piastri down to just 40 points before Mexico. However, Norris's dominant performance has now put the McLaren driver in control of the championship battle.

Norris Dominates Amidst Controversial Crowd Reaction

Lando Norris delivered what he described as 'one of my best weekends' with a commanding victory from pole position. The McLaren driver finished over 30 seconds ahead of Leclerc, but faced significant booing from the Mexican crowd during post-race celebrations.

'They can do what they want, it apparently belongs here,' Norris responded to the hostile reception. 'Of course I prefer people cheering for me, but I laugh about it. It's a shame though.'

When asked if the crowd reaction might be related to the Italian Grand Prix incident where Norris regained second place from Piastri after a poor pit stop, Norris defended the team's decision: 'They can think what they want, but we discussed it extensively internally. It was a fair outcome at the time, based on how we race. Oscar deserved to win last year in Budapest (when the roles were reversed and Piastri got the win from Norris), I deserved to finish ahead of him in Monza.'

Championship Outlook With Four Races Remaining

The 2025 Formula 1 season has become a thrilling three-way battle with just four races remaining. Norris's victory marks his sixth win of the season and puts him in prime position to secure his first world championship.

Verstappen's mathematical chances remain alive, but the Red Bull driver acknowledges the challenge ahead: 'It's becoming more difficult now. We have to be perfect in every remaining race.'

The championship battle continues next at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where all three contenders will be fighting to gain crucial points in one of the most competitive title fights in recent Formula 1 history.

Sources: Formula1.com, Crash.net, Sky Sports