Lando Norris Humble About F1 Title Lead After Mexico City GP Triumph Over Teammate Oscar Piastri

Lando Norris downplayed his recent dominance in the F1 championship after securing a decisive victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix, overtaking teammate Oscar Piastri as the new leader, while Piastri acknowledged the need to adapt his driving style amid a challenging run of results.

By Chris Posiano

October 28, 2025 at 2:53 AM

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McLaren driver Lando Norris has tempered expectations following his commanding win at the Mexico City Grand Prix, which propelled him to the top of the Drivers' Championship by a single point over teammate Oscar Piastri. The British racer emphasized that a single victory does not guarantee long-term success, stating, "One race, really, I don't care about. Two, three or four in a row means something."

Piastri, who had held the title lead for 189 days, finished fifth in a difficult weekend for the Australian, marking his fourth consecutive race without a podium finish. Norris's triumph, achieved with the largest margin of the season, was praised by Sky Sports F1's Jacques Villeneuve, who compared his performance to "the strength we normally see in Max." However, Norris acknowledged his earlier struggles with the MCL39 car, admitting he "certainly doubted myself" during a season plagued by inconsistent qualifying results.

"I never want to blame my car," Norris said, reflecting on his challenges. "When the car was winning and Oscar was winning, the last thing I could do is use the excuse that my car is not good enough." He added that his recent improvement stems from finding a "better way to make it work," though he remains focused on maintaining consistency against top rivals like Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who trails by 36 points with four races remaining.

Piastri, meanwhile, revealed he has been adjusting his driving approach to better suit the car's demands. "The biggest thing is trying to learn the things I wanted to learn today," he said, citing recent races as requiring "major changes" in his technique. Despite finishing behind Oliver Bearman, Piastri emphasized the need to "limit the damage" while adapting to the evolving challenges of the season.

The championship battle intensifies as the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, featuring the penultimate Sprint, approaches on November 9. Norris, who called Mexico "one of my best weekends of the whole season," urged caution, stating, "I just have to keep doing what I'm doing... and keep trying to be consistent against some very quick guys around me." Meanwhile, Piastri acknowledged the unpredictability of the season, noting, "I've just had to drive very differently the last couple of weekends... I've not really gone to that." Both drivers face a critical stretch as the title race enters its final phase.