Norris delivers 'statement win' in Mexico to seize F1 title lead

The Mexico City Grand Prix was a coronation for Lando Norris, who converted a sublime pole position into a masterful victory, instantly turning the momentum of the title fight back in his favor. Norris's dominant performance not only secured his fourth win since June but also propelled him past Oscar Piastri in the drivers' championship standings for the first time since April. His recent form is stark: he has clawed back 35 points on his teammate since retiring from the Dutch Grand Prix in late August.

"One race performing well I don't think means anything. Two, three or four in a row does, so I think the last few months I've been good," Norris stated, calling the Mexico outing his "best performance through a whole weekend."

The McLaren momentum

Coming into the weekend, all eyes were on Max Verstappen, who had aggressively cut Piastri's lead by 64 points over the previous four races. However, Norris delivered a resounding statement on behalf of McLaren, establishing the team as the dominant force of the year.

Norris's pole lap was one of the season's standouts, and in the race, he confidently managed the long run to Turn 1 and disappeared after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was forced to hand the lead back following an illegal pass.

Norris's success comes after a difficult period where he admitted to doubting himself earlier in the season when Piastri was consistently winning and he "wasn't getting to grips" with the car. Following a crucial suspension tweak in June, he has consistently outperformed his teammate.

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Now, the pressure has visibly shifted to Piastri. The Australian, who had won four races before Norris's second, has struggled since the Dutch Grand Prix. His weekend in Mexico was defined by difficulty, as he qualified seven places behind Norris and spent the race performing damage limitation to finish fifth.

Team Principal Andrea Stella offered an explanation for Piastri's sudden struggles, noting that Norris tends to excel in low-grip conditions, which have characterized the last couple of races, while Piastri's style suits higher-grip levels. Stella emphasized that adapting to different conditions is a learning curve for the young Australian in only his third season.

Verstappen's challenge

While Norris took maximum points, Max Verstappen could only manage a third-place finish behind Norris and Leclerc after a messy start to his race. Though his deficit to the championship leader reduced from 40 to 36 points, the Dutchman found the McLaren’s pace chastening.

"I lost 10 [points] to Lando," Verstappen lamented, recognizing that his title chances depend on "everything needs to go perfect to win. And this weekend didn't go perfect."

With four races remaining, the F1 title fight is now firmly a battle between the two McLaren drivers, with Norris holding the upper hand heading into the season's climax.