Overview
- Lando Norris led qualifying with a 1:15.586 as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton lined up P2 and P3, ahead of George Russell, Max Verstappen in P5 and Oscar Piastri starting P7 after Carlos Sainz’s penalty.
- McLaren signaled a return to form, with team principal Andrea Stella calling the result a timely reset and Norris crediting a hooked‑up lap for his fifth pole of the season.
- Ferrari see a real shot at a first 2025 win, pointing to strong one‑lap pace and plans to attack into Turn 1 on Mexico’s unusually long run to the first braking zone.
- Red Bull struggled for grip and balance, with Verstappen ruling out sudden pace gains for the race, as he also publicly dismissed Helmut Marko’s suggestion that his motivation had dipped.
- Pirelli projects a medium‑tyre start and likely one‑stop strategies, elevating tyre management and the long tow to Turn 1 as decisive factors that could reshape the opening laps and the late‑season points fight.