Max third in thrilling Mexican GP: 'Good strategy'

Published on 26 October 2025 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen finished third in the Mexican Grand Prix. After an action-packed race with plenty of on-track battles and differing strategies, Max eventually crossed the line in third place. In the closing stages, a second-place finish looked within reach, but a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) made that impossible. Lando Norris converted his pole position into victory, finishing ahead of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.

After the race, Max said over the team radio: “It was a good strategy. We were a bit unlucky with the Virtual Safety Car at the end, but I think we maximised the result. It was quite tough at the start. Well done on the strategy, that was really good!”

Speaking to the media afterwards, he explained: “It was very hectic, the beginning of the race for me. We had a very good start. It is such a long run to turn one and we were on the outside. It was three or four wide, so I had to be on that kerb. I kept bottoming out all the way and almost crashed over the grass. Even after that, there was a lot going on. Everyone around me was on the soft tyres, while I was on the mediums, that was a bit of a struggle. It was all about surviving the first stint, trying to go as long as we could on the tyres. Once we switched to the softs, we were a little bit more competitive and a bit happier. It was a tough weekend for us, but to be fighting for P2 after everything that happened in the opening laps is a very strong result.” On the VSC, Max added: “You win some, you lose some. Sometimes a safety car works for you, and sometimes against you.”

Finally, Max is asked another question about the championship. Due to Norris’s victory, the Brit is now the leader, one point ahead of his McLaren teammate Piastri. Max is facing a 36-point deficit. He says: “It is a lot. As I said earlier, you need to have perfect weekends, and we did not have one this time. That makes the task even harder now. Statistically, we are still in it, but from now on we simply have to win everything. And if we do not, it is just not going to happen.”

The twentieth Grand Prix of the season took place in Mexico City, at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Max has already won there five times, holding the record for the most victories at the venue. This year, however, he started from fifth on the grid. The entire top seven started on soft tyres, except for the reigning world champion, who opted for mediums.

When the lights went out, Max made a strong start. Thanks to the long run to turn 1, he was able to use the slipstream, immediately overtaking George Russell (Mercedes) and even attempting a move on both Ferrari drivers. That sent him wide over the kerbs and onto the grass, forcing him to rejoin the track in fourth place. Lando Norris (McLaren) retained the lead, followed by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Championship leader Oscar Piastri lost two positions off the line, dropping to ninth.

In the opening laps, Max put pressure on Hamilton. On lap six, he attempted a move on the Briton. The pair fought hard through several corners and briefly went off track. Oliver Bearman (Haas) managed to pass Max amid the scrap with Hamilton. The Ferrari driver ran wide through the grass, kept third place, and gained some time, for which he received a ten-second penalty. Max was also investigated but escaped without a penalty.

Over the following laps, Max got stuck behind Bearman and even lost some ground. It was not until lap 24 that he finally had clear air, as the drivers who started on softs began to pit. Antonelli was the first to stop, followed soon by the rest. By the halfway mark (lap 35), everyone in the top seven except Max had pitted. Norris was dominating the race, pulling away from the rest of the field. Max was running second but still had to make his stop, followed by Leclerc, Bearman, and Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton, after serving his penalty, had fallen back to eighth.

On lap 38, Max made his pit stop, switching to soft tyres. The stop dropped him to eighth, but with fresh tyres, while others were considering a two-stop strategy. The action was not limited to the pits; plenty was happening on track as well. Mercedes drivers Antonelli and Russell (in P4 and P5) were under pressure from Piastri. Russell complained about being stuck behind Antonelli and feeling Piastri breathing down his neck. Eventually, the Brit was allowed through, but he too couldn’t make a move on Bearman.

By lap 47, Max had caught Hamilton and immediately launched an attack into Turn 1. This time, Hamilton could not respond, and Max claimed seventh. He briefly looked set to chase Piastri, but the race soon took another twist. Several drivers opted for a second stop, Bearman, Russell, Piastri, Antonelli, and Hamilton all pitted again, allowing Max to climb to third. He chose to stay out and commit to a one-stop strategy.

Bearman (P4) closed the gap slightly to Max but not enough to challenge the reigning world champion. He did, however, hold off both Russell and Piastri behind him. The two fought a hard battle, which Piastri eventually won to take fifth. Meanwhile, Max set his sights on Leclerc’s second place. Lap by lap, he closed the gap, reducing it to five seconds with ten laps to go. By lap 68 of 71, Max was within DRS range for the first time, and in the penultimate lap, he was right on Leclerc’s gearbox.

However, a Virtual Safety Car was deployed when Carlos Sainz (Williams) stopped on track, neutralising the race. It was briefly lifted just before the end, but there wasn’t enough time or space left for an attack. Norris took the chequered flag as the winner, ahead of Leclerc and Max. Bearman and Piastri completed the top five.

Results Grand Prix Mexico: