Mexican Grand Prix 2025: F1 schedules, predictions, stats, facts

Formula 1 has reached the final five races of the season and the drivers’ championship is extremely tight between the top three: Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

As McLaren drivers Piastri and Norris battle for their first world title, they have a four-time world champion behind them, reducing their points advantage at an incredible rate over the last four races. Verstappen’s recent resurgence gives him a chance to win a fifth world title this year.

As the gaps close, every point counts in the next few races, so the pressure is on.

Here’s what to expect this weekend…

Weather forecast – warm and sunny

Early forecasts call for a warm, sunny weekend in Mexico City with partial clouds and a high of 26°C (79°F) on Saturday. Friday and Sunday have similar temperatures with a low chance of wind.

Go to: Tour history and statistics | Racing Predictions | How to watch | Championship standings

This week’s must-have

NOT A PREDICTABLE DUEL: If anyone had told Verstappen, after his home race 49 days ago, that he would be a title contender by the end of the United States Grand Prix, his response would have been clear: “I would have told him he was an idiot,” Verstappen said. So how did we get to this point?

STAY CALM: Identifying the threat is one thing, but combatting it is another: how will McLaren handle the threat to Verstappen’s title?

PENALTY: Carlos Sainz was handed a five-place grid penalty at the Mexican Grand Prix for colliding with the Mercedes of Andrea Kimi Antonelli during the United States Grand Prix on Sunday. The Williams driver withdrew from the United States Grand Prix, so what would have been a 10-second in-race penalty was converted into a grid penalty.

PIASTRI REMAINS CONFIDENT: The Australian remains confident in his chances of winning the F1 world championship title despite his reduced lead: “I would always rather be where I am than the other two,” he said.

NEW FP1: Rising American motor racing star Jak Crawford will drive in the first test for Aston Martin at the Mexican GP, ​​while Pato O’Ward will drive in place of Norris for McLaren and Luke Browning for Williams.

HERTA JOINS F2: American driver Colton Herta will take the unique step of racing in a Formula 2 series in 2026 with the aim of one day making the Formula 1 grid.

NOT COVERED: For more analysis, listen to the latest episode of ESPN’s F1 podcast Unlapped with F1 writers Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson.

What the championships look like

The suspense is building!

Oscar Piastri (346 pts) remains leader, but his advantage is gradually reduced as he is ahead of Lando Norris (332 pts) by 14 points.

Verstappen (306 pts) is catching up – 40 points behind Piastri and only 26 behind Norris.

How many points for a race victory? Check out our F1 guide for a reminder of how the points system works.

As for the distribution of podiums and wins, here’s what it looks like for the top three:

• Piastri – 14 podiums, 7 victories

• Norris – 15 podiums, 5 victories

• Verstappen – 10 podiums, 5 wins.

See the ranking

Circuit statistics and history

Racing at Mexico City’s Magdalena Mixhuca Park dates back to 1959, with the first Formula One event at the circuit – a non-championship race – taking place in 1962. Local hero Ricardo Rodriguez died during testing for the inaugural F1 event, and from then on the circuit was named after him and his brother Pedro, another Mexican racing driver, died nine years later while racing sports cars.

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez hosted F1 championship events from 1963 to 1970, then from 1986 to 1992, before returning to the calendar in 2015.

The original circuit was known for its dreaded Peraltada corner – a long right-hander before the pit straight with a minimal run-off area. When the circuit returned in 2015, the Peraltada had been removed and replaced with the iconic Foro Sol stadium section, which features two sharp turns in a former baseball stadium.

At an altitude of 7,300 feet (2,200 meters), the circuit is the highest on the F1 calendar and presents a unique challenge for teams and drivers. The thinner air means the cars run with their highest wing levels but still generate less downforce than at Monza, where the lowest wing levels are installed to reduce drag. Reduced oxygen levels in the air also force the powertrain’s turbocharger to spin faster than at sea level, while creating problems with tire and brake cooling.

Circuit: Hermanos Rodríguez Autodrome; Mexico City, Mexico

First F1 race: 1963

Towers: 71 laps of 4.3 km

Lap record: 1:17.774, Valtteri Bottas (2021)

More wins: Verstappen with five (2017-2018, 2021-2023).

Other winners from the current grid:
-Lewis Hamilton (2016, 2019)
-Sainz (2024)

Most poles: Jim Clark with four (1963–1965, 1967)

Other pole sitters on the current grid:
-Hamilton (2016)
-Charles Leclerc (2019, 2023)
-Verstappen (2022)
-Sainz (2024)

What makes it special: A real anomaly on the calendar due to the high altitudes. Low air density – around 78% compared to sea level – creates strange paradoxes, in which teams can execute Monegasque-level downforce sets while reaching Monza-like top speeds. Mexico loves its races and remains one of the loudest and most colorful venues on the schedule.

What drivers say about this: “The atmosphere in Mexico is unreal. Nothing else comes close.” – Sergio Pérez

Where to watch from: Section of the Foro Sol stadium. A unique part of the track where cars weave through a converted baseball stadium, with packed fans in the stands erupting every time the cars pass.

What happened last year?

Sainz won the dramatic race, with Norris finishing second, while Verstappen dropped to sixth after being hit with two 10-second penalties.

The sanctions related to two separate incidents with Norris where Verstappen forced him off the track.

Leclerc finished third, as Ferrari claimed its third double podium of the 2024 season.

Who will win?

Verstappen is on a roll with three Grand Prix wins and a sprint victory in the last three rounds. Mexico presents a different challenge to Austin, but there’s no reason to think Verstappen won’t be up to the task.

How to watch the GP

For fans in the United States only, watch live on ESPN and ESPN+. Check the calendar.

In the UK, live streaming is provided on Sky Sports F1 and BBC Radio 5 Live, with highlights on Channel 4.

For news, analysis and updates, follow coverage with ESPN’s F1 team Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson in Mexico and on social media.

Session times below in BST (British Summer Time) and GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Local time is (CST) Central Standard Time (BST -7 hours).

Note UK Daylight Saving Time on Sunday 26 October at 02:00: clocks move back one hour towards GMT.

Friday
First free practice: 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. BST
Second free practice: 11:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. BST

SATURDAY
Third free practice: 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. BST
Qualifying: 10:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. BST

Sunday
Race start: 8:00 p.m. GMT (live text commentary from 7:00 p.m. GMT) ESPN.co.uk/F1).

– Rankings | Calendar | Teams
– F1 2025 circuits: their history, statistics and why they are special
– Key facts about drivers, teams, venues, more
– Reasons to prioritize for each F1 driver, questions for each team
– Meet the rookies: what to expect from F1’s class of 2025