Oct 26, 2025 | Formula 1
Piastri loses pace: the pattern is clear
Oscar Piastri qualified significantly slower than teammate Lando Norris in Mexico. His fastest lap was 0.588s slower than Norris'. Due to a grid penalty from Carlos Sainz, Piastri is now seventh on the grid. That is the first time since April that he is in danger of losing his championship lead.
The striking thing is that this was not an isolated error in Q3. The problem played out all weekend. In both free practice sessions, he was about six tenths behind Norris. The differences in Q1 and Q2 were 0.259 s and 0.485 s. Piastri was also slower than his teammate in the US last week.
Possible causes at a glance
There are several explanations that could explain the loss of pace. The team and Piastri himself cite several options.
- Undetected damage to car after crash in Austin.
- Technical parts that work slightly differently on his car.
- Difference in driving style and how it suits low grip conditions.
Team check: car seems fine
McLaren says based on data and checks that there is no obvious mechanical problem. The team stresses that parts are rotated regularly and that there is no evidence of a defective chassis. They would rather change floor or front wing than replace the monocoque.
Yet Piastri himself did not rule out damage altogether. He said the car generally felt normal, but often had less grip than Norris.
Driving style and low grip conditions
According to the team, the root of the problem lies with the driving style. Norris appears to perform better in sliding, low-grip conditions. Piastri, on the other hand, is stronger when there is a lot of grip. Those differences were visible in Austin and in Mexico.
A key issue is brake usage. In Mexico and Austin, Norris made more gains in heavy braking zones. His braking strategy and way of controlling the rear tyres gave him an advantage. Piastri experimented with braking points and the length of his braking zones, but could not always match that advantage.
Where did Piastri lose time?
- Turn 1: lost about 0.05s at the first apex due to slightly later braking.
- Turn 2 and the next right/left combination: lost extra time and speed.
- Turn 4-6: previously a weak spot, but improved in Q3.
- Turns 7-11 (the fast sweepers): here Norris built much of his lead, nearly 0.45 s by Turn 12.
On exiting Turn 10/11 and through the stadium complex, Piastri lost time again. Managing the backline temperature seemed to play a part. In the analysis, he himself said it felt like ‘losing a bit everywhere’ rather than one clear trouble spot.
Long-term pace and race image
The problem was not limited to one fast lap. Even in long runs, Piastri looked slower than Norris. That makes the race tricky. Mexico is expected to be a processional race with a strategy around one pit stop. In such a race, overtaking is difficult. Therefore, Sunday will be mainly damage control for Piastri.
Yet it is not the end. Piastri has shown at several races this season that he can adjust and learn quickly. The team expects him to perform at his usual level again at Interlagos.
Conclusion
In summary, there is no direct evidence of a technical defect. The data support that the car is functioning. The biggest chance is that the combination of low grip and a driving style that is less suited to it cost Piastri dearly. It is a learning process for him. For Sunday, it's all about limited loss avoidance. After that, he will get another chance to address the problem.
Oct 26, 2025 | Formula 1
Norris surprises with pole, Verstappen struggles
Qualifying in Mexico produced an unexpected result. Lando Norris took pole position. The difference was 0.262 seconds. Max Verstappen got no further than P5. He complained of lack of grip throughout the session.
Friday showed a different picture: Verstappen was very fast over one lap, with Norris following close behind. During the night between Friday and Saturday, both teams changed their set-ups and that ultimately determined the result.
Key change in set-ups
Red Bull deliberately chose slightly less responsive front wheel behaviour. They thus wanted to reduce peak torque on the rear tyres. McLaren did the opposite. They placed more weight on the nose. That gave more front end feel over one fast lap. That choice paid off in qualifying.
- Red Bull: less sharp front end to save rear tyres.
- McLaren: a little more on the nose to allow a fast qualifying lap.
- Result: Norris took pole, Verstappen lacked grip on qualifying day.
Tyre behaviour: core and surface
A big cause lies with the behaviour of the tyres. The 2025 Pirelli front tyre is stiffer than before. That makes it harder to find right balance. There are two main parts in a tyre: the core and the tread. The core has to warm up first. That takes several laps. In the first qualifying laps, grip comes mainly from the still cold tread. The core is then too stiff to work well with.
If the tread heats up too quickly before the core yields, the surface overheats. That causes rapid degradation. That is exactly what Red Bull saw in the long runs: over one fast lap, the car was very fast. But in race simulations, the rear tyres died quickly due to high peak loads.
Why McLaren benefited
McLaren proved more flexible at this circuit. The team keeps the temperature of the rear tyres much better under control. This allows the car to be tuned a little tighter without the rear tyres breaking down quickly. That flexibility gave the McLaren an extra window in which a perfect lap was possible.
Moreover, McLaren could use smaller cooling slots. So the car suffered less from thin air at altitude. Aerodynamics remained more effective. The combination of cooling, tyre temperature and rear wheel compliance gave McLaren the advantage that Red Bull did not have.
Mechanical reactions and track details
There was also a marked difference in how the car reacted mechanically over uneven surfaces. At the outcome of Turn 9 there is a bump that unbalanced the Red Bull more often than not. The McLaren remained more stable there. That extra smoothness helps save tyres and maintain confidence at high speed.
Impact on riders
The driving required at this circuit requires a lot of shifting and improvisation. Lando has shown more confidence in this recently. Oscar Piastri struggled again. He was 0.6 seconds slower than Norris and sat on P8. The team indicated that Oscar is still learning how to exploit the car when grip is low and the car slides a lot.
Between Norris and Piastri, the two Ferraris finished, with Charles Leclerc just ahead of Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari proved several tenths quicker than the Red Bull. Carlos Sainz delivered a strong lap in the Williams, but received a five-place penalty due to an incident in the previous race. As a result, he will start from position 12.
What this weekend means
Mexico shows how small the window is between perfect and bad tyre temperatures. On circuits like this, details weigh extra heavily. Set-up choices, cooling and tyre temperature determine the difference between pole and midfield.
Red Bull still has speed over one lap. But McLaren has more flexibility in tyre temperature and cooling. That flexibility can be decisive on this kind of track configuration.
Oct 26, 2025 | MotoGP
Bagnaia and Ducati dominate Sprint
Francesco Bagnaia made a clear statement at Sepang on Saturday. After a sharp time in Q1, he grabbed pole and set off from the best position for the 10-lap Sprint. Bagnaia had an excellent start, held the lead and increased his lead lap after lap to the finish. It is his second win of the season on Saturday. Teammate Michele Pirro, starting from the back rows, battled his way to 20th place, providing useful data for Sunday's race.
This win is for the team, which works tirelessly. We alternate top performances with difficult moments this season, and together we are looking for the cause of those fluctuations.
Podia, championship places and rookies
Gresini had a strong day. Alex Marquez grabbed another podium spot, consolidating his second place in the championship. Teammate Fermín Aldeguer was named Rookie of the Year; he was initially on the podium in the Sprint but later received a penalty which adjusted his ranking. For Gresini, it remains a season to be proud of.
At Monster Energy Yamaha, it was mainly damage control. Fabio Quartararo rode a solid Sprint and moved to P5 in the final results after a post-race penalty for Aldeguer. Álex Rins struggled with the tyres and lost a lot of ground in the middle stages; he finished 15th. Team principal Massimo Meregalli stressed that today's data will be used to better cope with Sunday's longer race distance.
Combination of comeback attempts and setbacks
Aprilia had a small upturn: Marco Bezzecchi climbed strongly to the front from P14 and finished on P6. Lorenzo Savadori tested parts for the RS-GP25 and finished near the points on P18. Aprilia is working emphatically on development steps for future races.
Red Bull KTM Tech3 had two solid performances: Enea Bastianini fought his way from P19 to P9, earning another sprint point. Pol Espargaro rode consistently and finished 11th, despite a small contact with Luca Marini that cost him positions.
For Honda HRC Castrol, the day ended disappointingly. Joan Mir looked to be on his way to a result but lost the front end and made a DNF after crashing in the podium battle. Luca Marini was on his way to a strong comeback but got involved in contact with Pol Espargaro and also had to retire. Honda stressed that the team will take today's lessons to Sunday.
Prima Pramac Yamaha had a tricky Sprint: Jack Miller crossed the line in 14th, while Miguel Oliveira crashed out early due to a fall on the sixth lap. CASTROL Honda LCR saw Johann Zarco on form; he rode controlled to P8 and praised the regained feeling on the machine. IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Somkiat Chantra worked his way to P17 from P20 and gathered useful information for the race setup.
Brief overview of notable results
- 1st - Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
- 2nd - Alex Marquez (Gresini)
- Fabio Quartararo finished on P5 after penalty change
- Enea Bastianini knuckled down to P9 (10 places gain)
- Joan Mir and Luca Marini: both dropped out (DNF)
- Jack Miller P14; Miguel Oliveira dropped out
- Michele Pirro P20; Somkiat Chantra P17
Sepang remains a hot and demanding track, where tyre management and braking are crucial. Tomorrow's warm-up is scheduled at 09:40 local time, followed by the 20-lap Malaysian Grand Prix at 15:00 local time (UTC+8). Many teams returned to the paddock with new parts and data - Sunday will be the real measure of who can actually turn developments into race pace and consistency.
Oct 26, 2025 | Formula 1
Norris dominates qualifying, Piastri struggles
Lando Norris took an important step in the world championship by taking pole position for the Mexican Grand Prix. He was well ahead of the rest in Q3. Max Verstappen qualified only fifth. Reigning points leader Oscar Piastri did not come close to his teammate and finished eighth.
What did Piastri run into?
Piastri seemed to lack confidence. The McLaren did not feel sharp in the fast stretches. Even through the slower corners, he could not get the car to work properly. As a result, he could not keep up with the pace of Norris and the other front-runners.
How did the rest of the summit go?
Norris was already about two tenths faster than the rest in Q2. In Q3, he eventually laid down 0.262 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton finished third and was within a tenth of Leclerc. George Russell finished just ahead of Verstappen, limiting Verstappen's starting position to the third row.
Kimi Antonelli ensured Mercedes got two cars inside the top six. Carlos Sainz qualified seventh, but he has to serve a five-place grid penalty due to a collision in the US. This moves Piastri up to at least seventh on the starting grid.
Other notable cases
- Isack Hadjar was fastest in Q1 for Racing Bulls.
- Ollie Bearman provided a top-10 result for Haas.
- Both Bearman and Antonelli seemed in danger of dropping out for a while in Q2, but found the speed in time.
- Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hülkenberg, Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson finished in places 11-15.
- Gabriel Bortoleto, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll and Franco Colapinto died in Q1.
Results qualification
- 1 Lando Norris (McLaren) 1m15.586s
- 2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.262s
- 3 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.352s
- 4 George Russell (Mercedes) +0.448s
- 5 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.484s
- 6 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.532s
- 7 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +0.586s (takes a five-place grid penalty)
- 8 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.588s
- 9 Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +0.666s
- 10 Ollie Bearman (Haas) +0.874s
- 11 Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) 1m16.816s
- 12 Esteban Ocon (Haas) 1m16.837s
- 13 Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) 1m17.016s
- 14 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 1m17.103s
- 15 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) 1m18.072s
- 16 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) 1m17.412s
- 17 Alex Albon (Williams) 1m17.490s
- 18 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 1m17.546s
- 19 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 1m17.606s
- 20 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) 1m17.670s
Summary: Norris was fastest and stood the rest back with power. Verstappen had to be content with the third row of the grid. Piastri will have to close the gap to his rival Norris in the race, although Sainz's penalty may give him an extra spot on the grid.
Oct 25, 2025 | Formula 1
Final free practice: brief overview
Lando Norris set a clear time in the closing stages. He drove a 1m16.633, making him by far the fastest. The session seemed very close for a long time. However, the final qualifying simulations spread out the field.
Lewis Hamilton crossed the line in second place. He was 0.345 seconds slower than Norris. George Russell completed the top three, at 0.512 seconds.
Max Verstappen was only sixth. He lost 0.609 seconds to Norris. Verstappen was driving on lower power, which explains his time. Oscar Piastri finished fifth, behind Charles Leclerc.
What stood out during the session
The session saw many lock-ups and mistakes in the stadium section. Crowds on the track and traffic also caused awkward moments. Williams had a difficult session. Carlos Sainz even drove on the grass at Turn 1 for a short time. Alex Albon made several braking mistakes in the stadium area. He suspected something was wrong with his car.
Fernando Alonso did not appear on the track after his early runs. As a result, he turned only half the number of laps of the rest. He did not drive on the soft tyres and finished last.
- Norris fastest: 1m16.633
- Top three: McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes
- Verstappen on lower power mode, sixth
- Williams with incidents: Sainz and Albon far back
- Alonso made few laps and stayed in the background
Results (order and backlog)
1 Lando Norris (McLaren) 1m16.633
2 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.345s
3 George Russell (Mercedes) +0.512s
4 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.566s
5 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.599s
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.609s
7 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.620s
8 Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +0.763s
9 Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) +0.782s
10 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) +0.893s
11 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.919s
12 Esteban Ocon (Haas) +0.941s
13 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.965s
14 Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +1.031s
15 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +1.168s
16 Alex Albon (Williams) +1.361s
17 Ollie Bearman (Haas) +1.413s
18 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.779s
19 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1.948s
20 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1.978s
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