F1: 7 Things That Happened at the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix. And A Mexican George Russell

Mexico City, Mexico – October 26, 2025 – Lando Norris delivered a dominant lights-to-flag victory at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, securing McLaren's first win here since 1989 and seizing the Drivers' Championship lead from teammate Oscar Piastri. In an action-packed 71 laps filled with penalties, near-misses, and late drama, Norris finished 29 seconds clear of Charles Leclerc in second, with Max Verstappen third after a frantic charge that was cruelly halted. Ollie Bearman starred in fourth for Haas, while Piastri rounded out the top five. Here's a quick-hit recap of the race's defining moments, followed by off-track highlights and our winners/losers rundown.

Race Highlights: The Chaos Unfolded

• Early Marshal Mayhem: Just laps into the race, two marshals dashed across the track in front of Liam Lawson's Racing Bulls car during a recovery operation, creating a heart-stopping near-miss. The FIA launched an immediate investigation into the breach of safety protocols, with Lawson avoiding disaster but voicing frustration over radio.
• Sainz's Fiery Spin Triggers Late VSC: On the penultimate lap, Carlos Sainz (Williams) spun into the Turn 14 barriers, sparking a small fire in his FW47. Marshals recovered the car under Virtual Safety Car (VSC) conditions, but the deployment—criticized for its timing—nipped a brewing thriller between Leclerc and Verstappen in the bud, robbing fans of a potential last-lap showdown.
• Norris Cruises to Glory: Starting from pole, Norris converted effortlessly, pulling a 1.5-second gap by lap 10 and never looking back. His win catapults him 8 points clear of Piastri (118-110) with four races left.
• Verstappen's Recovery Denied: After qualifying a lowly fifth amid handling woes, Verstappen sliced through the pack to third, closing to within 2.5 seconds of Leclerc. The VSC spoiled his shot at second, but he still narrowed the championship gap to Norris.
• Bearman's Breakout P4: The Haas rookie started ninth but gained four spots at the start, then pounced on a wayward Verstappen to claim fourth—Haas's best result of the year and Bearman's career high.
• Piastri's P5 Salvage: McLaren's title contender dropped to sixth early but clawed back to fifth, overtaking George Russell late—vital points to stay in the fight despite a strategy misstep.
• Hamilton's Penalty Plunge: Lewis Hamilton held third through the early skirmishes but copped a 10-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during a battle with Verstappen at Turn 4, dropping him to eighth.

6 Off-Track Moments You Might Have Missed

Drawing from the festive Mexico vibe, here's the lighter side that added flavor to the weekend:

1. Russell's Lucha Libre Disguise: Mercedes' George Russell donned a silver-and-green wrestling mask to blend into FP1 crowds, cheering anonymously and filming his stand-in Fred Vesti.
2. Bearman's Family Joy: Post-race, Bearman's dad David erupted in the garage, followed by emotional hugs, high-fives, and a sweet reunion with girlfriend Alicia Torriani.
3. Tsunoda's Honda Heritage Lap: Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda piloted the historic RA272—the 1965 Mexico winner—around the circuit, its V12 roar honoring his engine supplier's legacy.
4. Alonso's Masked Prank: Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso rocked a custom visor-equipped wrestling mask in the pits, fooling drivers until a selfie with Russell blew his cover.
5. Hadjar's Grid Groove: Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar busted awkward but endearing dance moves with parade performers, injecting pure fun into the pre-race energy.
6. Holyfield's Star Turn: Boxing legend Evander Holyfield toured the paddock, rallied the Racing Bulls team, and waved the chequered flag—rubbing shoulders with celebs like Bizarrap.

With Norris now leading the drivers' standings and McLaren pulling away in constructors', the title fireworks head to Brazil next weekend (November 7-9). The FIA's probes into safety lapses could stir more headlines—stay tuned to News Moto for the Sao Paulo buildup.

Mexico GP race results below: