Lando Norris has attributed his Mexico Grand Prix victory to a Singapore briefing regarding McLaren’s Formula 1 car.
Norris comprehensively dominated the Mexican weekend, taking pole position with a 0.262s margin on second-placed Charles Leclerc while team-mate Oscar Piastri was six tenths off, before winning the race with a 30-second gap to Leclerc.
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This was statistically the most dominant F1 victory since Max Verstappen led Norris by 34 seconds under the chequered flag at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Norris hasn’t always felt comfortable with McLaren’s 2025 challenger, as he sometimes struggled to push the MC39 to the limit, especially in qualifying; he felt that he couldn’t drive the car with his natural driving style, due to his feel with the front axis.
“It’s just, I feel better with the car today,” Norris told Sky Sports F1 after his Mexico victory. “Everything’s about how I feel with the car. Last year, I felt very good with the car, I could perform better. This year I’ve struggled to get to grips with it.
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“It’s been incredibly quick, but it’s clearly still difficult to drive. But when you get in that sweet spot, you can make it work, and it’s still something that over the last few weekends I’ve struggled with, even in Singapore [where he qualified fifth and finished third].
“I mean, we had our debrief and we sat down for half an hour, and like: ‘Guys, this is exactly the car I don’t want. This is the reason why we can’t win more races, why we’re not gonna win in the future, is if we keep having a car that doesn’t give me what I need’. This weekend, I just had a little bit more what I need, and I can perform how I did this weekend. It’s as simple as that.”
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Norris’ victory ended a five-round winless streak, allowing him to retake the championship lead from Piastri for the first time since April’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
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Piastri is just one point off however, and Verstappen remains a credible title threat with a 36-point deficit – Norris had been 88 points ahead of the Dutchman coming into the summer break.
Being told that he never doubted himself, the 25-year-old Briton set the record straight: “At times at the beginning of the year, I certainly did. Because I never want to blame my car, and certainly when the car was winning and Oscar was winning, the last thing I ever could do is use the excuse that my car is not good enough. But I wasn’t getting up to grips and wasn’t finding a way to make it work, and I’m finding a better way to make it work now. It’s as simple as that.
“One race performing well I don’t think means anything. Two, three, four in a row, does.
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“I think the last few months have been good. Max has still caught me. I’ve had one good weekend now, but Max has still caught over the last few months, and I still got to keep my head down.”
Photos from Mexican GP – Race
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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Evander Holyfield and Jean Alesi
Evander Holyfield and Jean Alesi
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Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
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Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
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Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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Alexandra Saint-Mleux
Alexandra Saint-Mleux
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A McLaren team place a sticker on the grid
A McLaren team place a sticker on the grid
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing runs wide
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing runs wide
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Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls with Marshall gathers debris
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls with Marshall gathers debris
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Alexander Albon, Williams
Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Alexander Albon, Williams
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Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
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Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes
Oscar Piastri, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes
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Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, Williams
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Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, Williams
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
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Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Hector Vivas / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Mario Renzi – Formula 1 – Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Hector Vivas / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
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Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, Williams
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Ayao Komatsu, Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Ayao Komatsu, Haas F1 Team
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