Lewis Hamilton hopes Ferrari can repeat last year's Mexican Grand Prix triumph this weekend but teammate Charles Leclerc sounded a more pessimistic note on Thursday, saying a victory looks out of reach without "strange things happening".

Carlos Sainz, who is now driving for Williams, delivered Ferrari's last victory 12 months ago in Mexico, with the team now on a 23-race winless streak.

"I think we were very strong here last year. So I'm hoping that we can take the learnings that they had last year and apply them this weekend," Hamilton, who has yet to stand on the podium since joining the Italian team in January, told reporters.

The seven-time world champion faces the additional challenge of missing the first practice session, with endurance racer Antonio Fuoco taking the seat to gain Formula One experience.

"I'm missing P1, so this weekend I need to learn to run straight away pretty much," he added.

Leclerc struck a more downbeat tone about Ferrari's immediate prospects.

"At the moment it doesn't seem very likely that we are going to fight for the win this weekend but never say never," he said.

"Last year obviously was a very positive weekend for the team. Carlos was actually very strong the whole weekend and it was difficult for me to get close.

"I hope we can reproduce that, but I feel like we are further away compared to last year," added Leclerc, who is fifth in the drivers' championship and has been on the podium six times this season.

"So until the end of the season, I think it's going to be very tough to win races in a normal race without any strange things happening."

Resurgent Formula One champion Max Verstappen rejected a suggestion he had "lost interest" when Red Bull were struggling earlier this season and said he had always fought hard for every point.

The Dutch driver was responding at the Mexican Grand Prix on Thursday to a comment by Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko, a close ally who has played an important role in the Dutch driver's career.

"Max at one stage when we were not competitive, I would say he lost a little bit of interest," the 82-year-old Austrian told Sky Sports television in Texas last weekend after the driver won the sprint and main race from pole position.

Verstappen fell 104 points behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri at the end of August but has since roared back with three wins in the last four races.

He is now 40 points behind the Australian with five rounds remaining and back in contention for what would be a fifth successive title.

"Of course it's more enjoyable coming to the race weekends like this than knowing that you don't have a chance to win," the driver, a five-times winner in Mexico, told reporters.

"But I know for myself that when I sit in the car, I always try to maximise everything that I have. And I give it everything.

"So even if I'm fighting for fourth or even ninth, I will always try to get the best out of it."

Verstappen has a keen interest in sportscar racing, competing and winning in the GT3 category at the Nuerburgring last month.

Marko had suggested the driver was allowed to do that "to keep him in a good mood".

"Now that the car is working, and his success at the Nurburgring, I would say two tenths just came from him because he's really motivated ... you don't hear him shouting, he's smiling - that's what you need," he added.

Verstappen said the Nuerburgring race had been arranged far in advance and he had been competing online during the season and on F1 weekends for years already.

"There's nothing really that has changed in terms of how professional I approach my race weekends," he said.

Verstappen said the upturn in the car's performance was a "combination of a lot of things" including upgrades that allowed it to run in a different configuration.

"These cars are super-sensitive, right? So you're sliding a bit less, the tyres also work a bit better and that gives you also better race pace.

"So it's a lot of things that just came together that suddenly unlocked quite a bit more pace within the car. And that gives me more confidence and allowed us also to set up the car a little bit more aggressive."

Lewis Hamilton opened up about the recent loss of his beloved pet bulldog Roscoe on Thursday, revealing how grief has brought him closer to fans around the world, especially ahead of Mexico's Day of the Dead.

Mexican Grand Prix fans and race organisers have created tributes at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez including a statue of Roscoe in an altar for the November 2 celebration.

"I felt like I'm connecting with people so much more through this kind of grief period," said seven-time world champion Hamilton.

"Fans have sent paintings and drawings of Roscoe, although my house is really quiet now."

This video of Lewis Hamilton getting emotional after seeing Roscoe shirt 😢💔pic.twitter.com/iSicnrRluc

— LH44(A) (@LH44Fanpage8) October 21, 2025

When told of the Mexican legend that dogs help souls cross the river to the afterlife, the Ferrari driver smiled.

"Yeah, he'll be asking me to carry him over the river, probably, because he never liked water," he said.

Hamilton reflected on how the outpouring of support has been particularly meaningful during turbulent times.

"For me, it's been just really encouraging to see just in a time in the world where everything feels, it can feel very dark, and there is such a great divide, and particularly when you look at the people that are running these countries seem to have no empathy," he said.

Hamilton explained how his love for animals influenced his decision to follow a plant-based diet, and how he had defied family scepticism about getting his own dog due to his travel schedule.

"You learn about a lot of empathy. You feel just love like that you could not get from anywhere else, really. They bring such happiness to you, they're just the most joyous beings in the world," he said.

Despite the loss, Hamilton keeps Roscoe's memory alive at home. "I still have his bed and his toys everywhere, so he's still much a part of the furniture," he said.

Lando Norris mocked Formula One rivals Red Bull on Thursday after the team was heavily fined last weekend following a failed attempt to remove his McLaren grid marker tape.

The Briton told reporters in Mexico that McLaren had stuck tape to the track side of the pit wall to help him align his car on the starting grid for the race at Austin's Circuit of the Americas.

Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen was on pole for the race, which he went on to win, with Norris qualifying and finishing second.

A Red Bull mechanic tried to remove the tape as the formation lap began but was found in breach of grid safety rules, triggering a 50 000 euro ($58 310) fine with half suspended. The stewards did not mention the tape detail in their report.

"I didn’t use the tape, so it was extra amusing because I didn’t need it," said Norris with a smile. "We just put it there in case.

"It made it extra funny because they got a penalty for it and I didn’t even need it."

NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED

Norris, second in the championship and 14 points behind teammate Oscar Piastri with Verstappen 40 off the lead, said it was not the first time Red Bull had tried to remove the marker.

The use of such tape is not against the regulations, and other teams also do it, but the intervention was seen as another example of the hyper-competitive nature of the sport and gamesmanship.

Norris said McLaren had made the tape extra sticky.

Norris said he had used the regular lines on the grid to ensure he positioned the car correctly, avoiding any penalty for a false start, but would continue using a tape as a backup.

"I will continue to use it (put it up there). But in 95 per cent (of times) I’ll use the line on the grid," he said.

Verstappen told reporters separately that he accepted the reasons for his team being fined. "I think it's quite understandable that you get fined for that," he said of the breach.

Formula One leader Oscar Piastri said he and McLaren teammate Lando Norris would race in Mexico this weekend with no further consequences after collisions between them in Singapore and the United States.

Norris, 14 points adrift and Piastri's closest rival in the championship, had said in Austin before the pair collided in a sprint race that he faced consequences for the rest of the season.

Those consequences were never spelled out by drivers or the team, who have already retained their constructors' crown and are now going for their first title double since 1998.

If Singapore was held to be the Briton's fault, since Norris benefited from pushing Piastri wide, Australian Piastri acknowledged on Thursday that blame for the Austin coming-together fell more on his shoulders.

Both drivers retired from that sprint, won by Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen, who has now closed the gap to Piastri to 40 points with five rounds and two sprints remaining after being 104 behind at the end of August.

"We've gone through it again, we go through every weekend with regards to what's happened, and I think there is a degree of responsibility from my side in the sprint and we're starting this weekend with a clean slate for both of us," Piastri told reporters.

Asked for further clarification, Piastri added "the consequences on Lando's side have been removed.

"There were a lot of factors involved but ultimately it was what's been decided."

French driver Isack Hadjar remained coy on Thursday when he sought to laugh off rumours he is set to join Red Bull next year, instead confirming he knows he will be remaining in Formula One.

The Racing Bulls rookie, who has enjoyed an impressive debut season, quashed suggestions he might make the switch before the end of this year as replacement for Yuki Tsunoda.

"It's so unlikely," he told reporters.

"That would mean I have just two more races with the team and it's just not going to happen.

"I'm also very happy, so very happy with the team that I am in right now. For them, I also need to bring P6 home," the 21-year-old added.

Hadjar has been linked with a switch to Red Bull for some months since his early season form established him as one of the best newcomers to F1.

He has responded by saying little other than that he has no fears about teaming up with four-time champion Max Verstappen.

It is widely thought Red Bull will decide on their line-up after this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix.

"Actually, I'd like to know at the end of the year, because it's more annoying than anything, all the noise.

"So, five races to keep pushing,

"Twelve months ago, it was all a bit unsure for me. I had an idea. But this year it's true that I am in a better position because I know I am in Formula One next year.

"Last year, I didn't know what I was doing so, yeah, now, I’m a lot less panicked," he added.

Japanese driver Tsunoda said he felt confident he can keep his seat – having started the season alongside Hadjar at Racing Bulls before he was promoted to replace Liam Lawson after two races.

"I will keep pushing and try to score points and help Max win the drivers' title," the 25-year-old said.

"I'm confident and I am doing my best.

"In the end, it's up to them.”

After a decade of roaring engines and sold-out grandstands, the Mexican Grand Prix will celebrate its 10th anniversary this weekend as a major economic driver and international showcase for the country.

Federico Gonzalez, director of the Formula One Mexican Grand Prix, outlined plans this weekend to mark the milestone while reflecting on the event's journey since returning to the F1 calendar in 2015.

"Every year we make an effort to improve the experience for attendees. We get into the smallest details and the biggest coordination efforts with the city," Gonzalez told Reuters on Wednesday.

The event will highlight collaborations between FIA officials, local government, private sponsors, and institutions, which Gonzalez described as "a project for everyone".

Welcome to Mexico! 👋🇲🇽#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/J0tUwkrSpa

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 23, 2025

A DECADE OF TRIUMPHS AND HURDLES

Gonzalez acknowledged the pandemic as the race's most significant challenge, citing the complexities of managing COVID-19 protocols during the period, and emphasised the event's role as an economic engine.

"This project is a platform for promoting tourism in the city and country to the world," he said, noting how the event fills Mexico City's hotels and restaurants while showcasing the nation as vibrant and industrious.

The race operates through a trust fund established with private contributors rather than public money.

"We all recognise that it is an economic windfall for the city, which is important because of the image it projects to the world. This weekend, the hotels and restaurants are full you can feel the vibe. It's not easy to move this city," he said.

Gonzalez also emphasised the race's role as a showcase of Mexico's ability to host large-scale international events, including next year's soccer World Cup, which Mexico will co-host alongside the United States and Canada.

"The opportunity to be part of an event of this travelling nature is very good because year after year we are in the eye of the world with a presence and an image of the amazing things that happen in Mexico, of how hard-working Mexicans are," he said.

The director also highlighted the distinctly Mexican character of the race, citing local touches such as trophies crafted with contributions from domestic designers and activities that lend the race its unique identity.

"This is Mexico, and that is what I think gives the Grand Prix its personality," he said.

Looking ahead, Gonzalez expressed optimism about the race's future while dismissing proposals for an additional venue elsewhere in the country. "I hope it's here for 30 or 40 years more. I really hope so, because I think it belongs to everyone," he added.

Every shade tells a story! 🎨🇲🇽

Mexico has delivered some truly unforgettable moments 🤩#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/TeO4buJO4J

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 23, 2025

Max Verstappen chases a fourth win in five starts this weekend as he bids to heap more pressure on McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the Mexico City Grand Prix, one of his most rewarding tracks.

Red Bull's four-time world champion, who has won five times in seven years at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, has cut Piastri's lead ahead of him, in third place, from 104 points to 40 since August with a scintillating burst of form.

Piastri still leads teammate Norris by 14 points, but he has lost his metronomic consistency and, as McLaren appear to be floundering to match Red Bull for pace, he appears also, like Norris, to be weighed down by the pressure of the title battle.

After finishing on the podium in every race bar one since the season-opener in Australia, his last three results have been a retirement, fourth and fifth.

His qualifying form has deteriorated at a similar rate.

Norris has also struggled for consistency, but appeared in Texas last weekend to have regained some confidence and pace as he finished second behind Verstappen, who had started from pole and also won the sprint.

He remains, however, without a win since the Hungarian race in August.

"They are weighed down with this looming battle," said former Indycar driver and prominent analyst James Hinchcliffe, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast.

"Even Red Bull in 2024, started the season strong, but once McLaren caught up... you started seeing their pit stops falter a little bit...

"Pressure is an interesting thing. You always want to be the hunted because it means you've got the points lead, but passing is tough in F1 – on track and in a championship."

'WITH MAX IT CAN HAPPEN'

With the experience of four title triumphs, Verstappen heads into the season's run-in knowing what to expect and enjoying himself.

"If it comes down to the last race and they are tight on points, maybe in that moment Max is the man to follow," said two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.

"The McLarens have enough car advantage to fight between them, but with Max it can happen as in 2021."

While Red Bull bid to snatch glory from McLaren in Mexico's thin air and the final races, Ferrari travel in hope of an unlikely repeat of their last victory, claimed by Carlos Sainz in Mexico a year ago.

His successor Lewis Hamilton has yet to claim a podium in 19 races while teammate Charles Leclerc has had six, including third last Sunday when Hamilton was fourth.

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur praised Hamilton's strong performance throughout the weekend, suggesting the 40-year-old Briton was back to his best as he seeks a third win in Mexico's carnival atmosphere.

Given that and McLaren team boss Andrea Stella's admission that Mexico is not a venue that will favour his team, Piastri and Norris are likely to endure another nerve-shredding weekend that reduces their advantage as they seek a first title double for McLaren since 1998.

Mercedes, with George Russell in form and also capable of claiming an upset win, lead the fight for second in the lucrative constructors' title race by seven points from Ferrari with Red Bull third, three points further adrift.

An unpredictable and dramatic high-speed contest, at more than 2 200 metres above sea level, is in prospect.

Alpine's Argentine Formula One driver Franco Colapinto has accepted he must obey team orders after defying them in Austin last weekend.

The 22-year-old overtook teammate Pierre Gasly for 17th place in the US Grand Prix despite being told by the team to stay behind the Frenchman. Gasly ended up 19th, behind Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto.

"The team situation on Sunday has been discussed internally and it is clear that instructions by the team must always be followed no matter what," Colapinto said in a team preview for Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix.

"We are all together, and we are all working towards the same goal to keep getting better with each session and each race weekend."

Colapinto is the only driver on the starting grid yet to score a point after 19 races this season, with the Argentine replacing Australian Jack Doohan – also pointless – after the first six races.

Steve Nielsen, the Renault-owned team's managing director, had said on Sunday night that there was plenty to review after the race in Austin, and was openly critical of Colapinto's behaviour.

"We gave the instruction for the drivers to maintain position as we were managing fuel with both cars and the added variable of the number of laps remaining with the leaders in close proximity," he explained.

"As a team, any instruction made by the pit wall is final and today we are disappointed that this didn't happen so it's something we will review and deal with internally."

Alpine have yet to confirm who will partner Gasly next year, although de facto principal Flavio Briatore said last month that it would be either Colapinto or Estonian reserve Paul Aron.

Aron will take Gasly's place for first Friday practice in Mexico City, putting him on track in the same session as Colapinto.

Ferrari will have gone a year without a win in Mexico this weekend and the wait looks likely to continue as Red Bull's Max Verstappen seeks to turn the screw on McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Four-time world champion Verstappen is staging an astonishing Formula One fightback, from 104 points down on Piastri at the end of August to 40 adrift now, and chasing a fourth victory in the last five grands prix.

The last Ferrari winner was Carlos Sainz in Mexico on October 27 last year, with Norris second and Verstappen an unhappy sixth after serving two 10-second penalties.

The Spaniard, now with Williams, can be counted out this time – particularly since he picked up a five place grid drop in Texas last Sunday.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, a double winner in Mexico, has yet to stand on the podium in 19 starts since he joined Ferrari in January while teammate Charles Leclerc has had six podiums but only one second place in Monaco in May.

Verstappen meanwhile has a momentum that will be hard to beat at a high-altitude track where he has won five times previously.

Verstappen took a huge bite out of Oscar's Championship lead last time out 🦁🔥

Can the four-time World Champion do even more damage in Mexico on Sunday? 👀#SSMotorsport | #F1 pic.twitter.com/7DSzqBMEOx

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 22, 2025

MOST COMPETITIVE COMBINATION OF CAR AND DRIVER

"I think the most competitive combination of car and driver at the moment seems to be Verstappen and Red Bull," McLaren boss Andrea Stella said after last Saturday's US Grand Prix sprint race won by the Dutchman from pole.

He singled out Brazil, Qatar and Abu Dhabi as remaining tracks where McLaren should go well – conspicuously not mentioning Mexico – and be able to exploit their car's characteristics.

That could mean another tough weekend for Piastri, who has not been on the podium in the last three races and has seen his lead over Norris slashed to 14 points.

Norris, who has been on the podium in three of the last four even if he has not won since Hungary in August, is within reach of taking over at the top if the Australian struggles again.

Mercedes' George Russell is fourth, 94 points behind Piastri and effectively out of the running, with McLaren still on course for their first title double since 1998 after securing the constructors' crown.

The problem for McLaren and Verstappen is that the Ferrari drivers and Russell could still play a big role in the title outcome by taking precious points away.

"We are in a situation where you go to a race weekend and you have three or four teams that can fight for the win if they extract everything their car can produce on the track," said Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies.

"I think every remaining race will be about which one of these four teams is nailing the track layout, the conditions, the temperatures, the tyres – and then that guy will win the race."

Red Bull will be looking also to Yuki Tsunoda, his future at stake with Mexico seen as a potential cutoff point for a decision, to continue recent improvement.

The Japanese has scored 16 points from his last three weekends – a meagre haul compared to Verstappen's 76 in the same timeframe but more than he had taken in 16 previous rounds.

"I'm not going to tell you that's good enough, nobody feels like that, Yuki doesn't feel like that," said Mekies.

"All I'm saying is that it's two races in the points, two very good starts, two very good first laps and it's a progression compared to what has been shown so far."

The battle for second place in the team standings is tight, with Mercedes seven ahead of Ferrari and Red Bull a further three behind.

Williams look safe in fifth but Sauber, Aston Martin and Racing Bulls are all fighting for sixth.

After a huge race weekend in Austin, another one awaits as the teams make the relative short trip south to Mexico City.

With 40 points covering the top three drivers in the championship and plenty of young drivers set to get track time, it’s going to be another action-packed three days of track running at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodrigue.

It’s a remarkable run of form over the past four races that has seen Verstappen take 64 points out of Piastri’s lead, and with five rounds to go he’s very much in the title mix. But having another race just one weekend later can work both ways.

There is only one place to watch the drama unfold - every single race is LIVE on SuperSport, your World of Champions. Click on the banner below to sign up for DStv Premium.

There has been a shake-up with the 2025 grid and only two teams, McLaren and Aston Martin, have stuck with their lineup from last year.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari is the biggest change going into the new season.

Six rookies are set to make their fulltime debut. Oliver Bearman caught the eye when he stood in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari and Kevin Magnussen at Haas last season. The 19-year-old Briton joins Haas on a multi-year contract.

Let's take a look at the full calendar ahead, with full broadcast details for the upcoming GP.

CALENDAR 2025 (all times CAT, GMT+2) 

NEXT UP:

20. Sunday, 26 October 2025
Mexico GP, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City

Friday, 24 October. SS Motorsport, Maximo 1

• Practice 1: 8pm.
• Practice 2: 11:45pm.

Saturday, 25 October. SS Motorsport, Maximo 2

• Practice 3: 7:15pm.
• Qualifying: 10:55pm.

Sunday, 26 October. SS Motorsport, Grandstand, Maximo 1

• Race: 9:55pm.

FULL SEASON

 ----- BREAK -----

21. Sunday, 9 November 2025
Brazil GP, Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace (Interlagos), Sao Paulo

22. Sunday, 23 November 2025
Las Vegas GP, Las Vegas Street Circuit

23. Sunday, 30 November 2025
Qatar GP, Losail International Circuit

24. Sunday, 7 December 2025
Abu Dhabi GP, Yas Marina Circuit

COMPLETED RACES

1. Australia (Melbourne) - 16 March

• Full race report and video highlights from Australia
  

2. China, (Shanghai) - 23 March 

• Full race report and video highlights from China
  

3. Japan (Suzuka) - 6 April

• Full race report and video highlights from Japan
  

4. Bahrain (Sakhir) - 13 April

• Full race report and video highlights from Bahrain
  

5. Saudi Arabia (Jeddah) - 20 April

• Full race report and video highlights from Saudi Arabia
  

6. Miami - 4 May

• Full race report and video highlights from Miami
  

7. Emilia-Romagna GP, Imola - 18 May

• Full race report and video highlights from Imola
  

8. Monaco - 25 May

• Full race report and video highlights from Monaco
  

9. Spainish GP, Barcelona - 1 June

• Full race report and video highlights from Spain
  

10. Canadian GP, Montreal - 15 June

• Full race report and video highlights from Canada
  

11. Austrian GP, Spielberg - 29 June

• Full race report and video highlights from Austria
  

12. British GP, Silverstone - 6 July

• Full race report and video highlights from Silverstone
  

13. Belgian GP, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - 27 July

• Full race report and video highlights from Belgium
  

14. Hungary GP, Hungaroring, Budapest - 3 August

• Full race report and video highlights from Hungary
  

15. Netherlands GP, Zandvoort - 31 August

• Full race report and video highlights from Hungary
  

16. Italian GP, Monza - 7 September

• Full race report and video highlights from Monza
  

17. Azerbaijan GP, Baku City Circuit - 21 September

• Full race report and video highlights from Azerbaijan
  

18. Singapore GP, Marina Bay Street Circuit - 5 October

• Full race report and video highlights from Singapore
  

----- TEAMS -----

Red Bull Racing    
1  Max Verstappen
30 Liam Lawson

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team    
63  George Russell
12 Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Scuderia Ferrari    
16  Charles Leclerc
44 Lewis Hamilton

McLaren F1 Team    
81 Oscar Piastri
4  Lando Norris

Alpine F1 Team    
14  Pierre Gasly
31 Jack Doohan

RB    
22  Yuki Tsunoda
6 Isack Hadjar

Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team    
14  Fernando Alonso
18  Lance Stroll

Williams Racing    
55 Carlos Sainz
23  Alexander Albon[c]

Kick Sauber    
27 Nico Hulkenberg 
5 Gabriel Bortoleto

Haas F1 Team    
87 Oliver Bearman
31 Esteban Ocon

 

McLaren boss Andrea Stella said the Formula One drivers' championship was still in his team's hands despite a dominant US Grand Prix weekend for Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

McLaren have already clinched the constructors' title for a second successive year and have Australian Oscar Piastri leading the drivers' standings by 14 points from British teammate Lando Norris.

The Woking team last won the drivers' crown with Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and have not completed a championship double since 1998.

Verstappen, chasing a fifth title in a row, is 40 points off the lead but has slashed the gap from 104 at the end of August with three wins in the last four races.

There are five rounds remaining.

"I think in terms of the trend today (Sunday) is a relatively reassuring race because I think without having to fight with Charles (Leclerc), which was certainly an entertaining fight itself, I think Lando had the pace to win," Stella told reporters.

"Performance-wise, I think we are reassured that the pace was sufficient to fight for the victory."

Austin podium celebrations 🤠🏆#McLaren | #USGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/uQSGrHNldn

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) October 20, 2025

STELLA SPELLS OUT THE MCLAREN MINDSET

Norris started the race on the front row, with Verstappen on pole, but Ferrari's Leclerc passed him at the start on soft tyres.

The Briton was then held up as he tried to get back in front, doing so twice.

Verstappen also won the Saturday sprint from pole, with Norris and Piastri colliding and failing to finish the 100km race – a serious setback that also impacted the main race given the lack of data collected.

Stella repeated his view that Verstappen remained in the fight for the title.

"For me, there's no mystery. We know that when Max has the material to win, he becomes a very serious candidate to win. So, it doesn't change what our understanding of the situation is, it doesn't change what we do," he added.

"We just have to keep maximising the performance and keep executing good weekends.

"The outcome of this season and the drivers' championship is in our hands, it's not in someone else's hands. That's the mindset that we want to have and that's the mindset that we will have."

McLaren have not won since Piastri triumphed in the Dutch Grand Prix on 31 August, a run of four races without standing on the top step of the podium.

"The fact that there are five races and two sprints means that we can also increase the gap to Max. I think we have good tracks coming for our car and we have more that we could have exploited out of our car."

The next race, round 20 of the 24-race season, is in Mexico City this weekend.

IT'S RACE WEEK AGAIN! 🙌

This time we're heading to the buzzing metropolis of Mexico City! 🇲🇽💪#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/SI50YsK5jd

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 20, 2025

Stella said there would be no upgrades or new parts for the rest of the season, with the focus on the 2026 car.

After three wins in his last five outings, Max Verstappen was hailed as "the boss" after victory at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, confirming his and Red Bull's renaissance as he seeks to claim a fifth title.

The four-time champion's masterclass moved him within 40 points of McLaren's championship leader Oscar Piastri with five events remaining.

AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from Sunday's intriguing Texan race.

RED BULL REVIVAL

Experience and class shone through in Verstappen's sumptuous controlled drive to victory at the Circuit of the Americas, but it was built on a strong and fast car and slick teamwork that confirmed Red Bull are the team to beat.

After finally completing their second successive constructors' championship triumph, McLaren have been unable to recover the consistent form that made them runaway leaders and, with their nerves twitching, the unexpected is looming large.

"What Max has done is great," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, reflecting on the Dutchman's feat in reducing a 104-point deficit to 40.

"But they (Red Bull) have just turned the car around and it is the most competitive, at the moment. He is scoring all the big points he is as good as it gets as a driver."

Unbelievable weekend!!! Let’s keep this momentum up @redbullracing 💪 pic.twitter.com/VB4E53qii4

— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) October 19, 2025

More than anything it seems Red Bull's change of leadership in July, when Christian Horner was dismissed, has stimulated a resurgence with the accent on calm and methodical engineering under new team boss Laurent Mekies.

That foundation has given Red Bull belief again and a winning car.

"It's incredible, but it's down to Max and the team," said Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg. "What he can do with Red Bull is just incredible. He is just showing his class.

"He's showing us that he is a four-time world champion and that he's the boss."

Verstappen's former Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, now boss of Sauber, said: "You can never write him off... He's the best in the world, perhaps, and if I was at McLaren I'd be looking in the mirrors."

But can Verstappen achieve his goal and claim an 'impossible' fifth title?

"Is it probable? Not normally," said Wheatley. "But Max tends to rewrite the rules for himself and has done through his whole career."

And then there were four 👀

A P5 in the Sprint and a P3 in the Grand Prix wasn't enough for Charles to stay in contention ❌#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/hdz3yxOghc

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 20, 2025

MCLAREN'S BROWN SHOWS NERVES

Having oozed confidence as his drivers appeared to be turning the title race into a personal duel, McLaren team boss Zak Brown began to show frayed nerves over the Austin weekend.

After Piastri and Norris had collided in the sprint race, he was quick to blame others.

"That was terrible," he said. "Neither of our drivers to blame there... Some amateur hour driving, some drivers up there at the front wiped out our two guys."

When he had reviewed the incident, he admitted he had allowed the heat of the moment to carry him.

"I've changed my view and I can't really put that on Nico (Hulkenberg). In the heat of the moment, I was obviously pretty bothered with what I saw there," he said.

Results have not gone McLaren's way since August with Verstappen on top and both Mercedes and Ferrari improving -– while the champions have stood still without upgrades for the run-in.

Reflecting on the US GP 💭#McLaren | #USGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/XQIBOtmyOl

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) October 20, 2025

FERRARI SILENCE CRITICS

They may remain without a victory this year, but Ferrari's form proved they retain the speed and resilience to silence their critics –- and threaten an upset result before the end of the year.

Charles Leclerc finished third and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton fourth in Austin as they closed within seven points of Mercedes in the constructors' championship.

"A really good race for us," said Leclerc. "It's a good thing, especially considering the whole situation with so much completely unfounded noise and rumor around the team.

"It shows we stay focused on the job and to be rewarded with a podium is really nice."

Putting Ferrari back on the podium 🏆💪 @Charles_Leclerc #F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/WoH0HD9hZG

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 20, 2025

Max Verstappen dominated the weekend, winning both the sprint and the main race, reigniting his title hopes.

This was his 68th career victory and cut his deficit to championship leader Oscar Piastri to 40 points. This weekend alone he clawed back 23 points.

Lando Norris finished P2 after an intense battle with Charles Leclerc, who secured P3 for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton came home in P4, while Piastri managed only P5 after a tough race.

Verstappen led from lights to flag, with strong pace and strategy making the difference in the first stint.

SPRINT DRAMA

The Sprint was chaotic: both McLarens (Norris and Piastri) retired on Lap 1 after a Turn 1 collision triggered by Nico Hülkenberg tagging Piastri. Verstappen won the sprint ahead of George Russell and Carlos Sainz.

CHAMPIONSHIP IMPACT

Verstappen’s double win means he has scored as many points as both McLaren drivers combined over the last five races, putting him firmly back in contention. Norris is now just 14 points behind Piastri in the drivers’ championship.

BATTLE FOR P2

The battle between Norris and Leclerc was one of the highlights of the race, and it lasted almost the entire 56 laps.

With about five laps to go, Norris launched his last charge. He first tried a move into Turn 1 on lap 51, but Leclerc countered brilliantly.

Later on the same lap, Norris attacked down the back straight and finally secured P2 for good.

A lunge from Lando! 😮‍💨

This is the move that earned the McLaren driver P2 in the end, passing Charles for the second step of the podium 🥈#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/1YBak0Mzrt

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR HAMILTON

Hamilton reached 5 000 career points by finishing 4th, which earned him 12 points, bringing his total to 5 004.5.

This makes him the first driver in Formula 1 history to surpass the 5 000-point mark.

Lewis Hamilton just ticked over 5000 career points in Formula 1 😮‍💨👏#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/8rmVSraeqh

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

This milestone highlights Hamilton’s longevity and consistency over nearly two decades in F1.

Red Bull were fined €50 000 ($58 300), with half suspended, for a grid breach before the start of Sunday's US Formula One Grand Prix.

Stewards said a Red Bull team member re-entered the gate area near the grid position of McLaren's Lando Norris after the formation lap had started and as marshals began to close the gate.

The reason for doing so was not disclosed in the statement.

Sources from more than one team told Reuters, however, that McLaren had placed a marker to help Norris line up his car correctly on the grid and the Red Bull employee had wanted to remove it.

The Briton qualified and finished second in the race, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen on pole position and going on to take the victory.

There was no official comment from either team, with Red Bull principal Laurent Mekies speaking to reporters before the stewards' decision and giving no details pending the outcome.

Max Verstappen is making history with every race and could stage one of the most remarkable fightbacks Formula One has ever seen, according to two team bosses who have worked closely with the four-time world champion.

The Dutch driver was 104 points behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri at the end of August and would have ridiculed anyone who seriously suggested he still had a chance of a fifth successive title.

"I would have told him he was an idiot," the driver told reporters on Sunday.

After three wins in the last four races, he is now 40 points behind the Australian – still a hefty amount – and very much a threat.

In Austin alone he clawed back 23 points.

WATCHING HISTORY IN THE MAKING

If Verstappen were to come out on top it would be an unprecedented turnaround even taking into account changed scoring systems.

"I think watching Max driving is watching history in the making," Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies told reporters after Verstappen completed a perfect weekend with a US sprint and Grand Prix double from pole position.

"He surprises us every time he goes out on track. He surprises us on how much he's pushing us between a session and another, how much sensitivity he has in stuff that sometimes we can see and stuff that sometimes we cannot see."

𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐗 🏆🥇

Verstappen goes 4/4 to complete a perfect weekend in Texas 🤝#USAGP | #F1 | #SSMotorsport pic.twitter.com/a2SYtnNHfz

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 19, 2025

Sauber principal Jonathan Wheatley, who was previously Red Bull's team manager and sporting director, agreed that Verstappen could make the impossible possible.

"You can never write Max Verstappen off. What an unbelievable, dominant weekend from Max," the Briton told reporters. "It's a pleasure to watch.

"Max Verstappen is perhaps the best driver in the world ... if I was McLaren I'd be looking in my rear view mirrors."

Asked whether he thought Verstappen could make up the remaining ground, Wheatley said it was possible as long as the points were there.

"Is it probable? Not normally. But Max tends to rewrite the rules to suit himself and has done his whole career," he added.

Verstappen told reporters the chance was definitely there.

"I know that we need to be perfect until the end to have a chance, so that’s what we just need to focus on," he said.

"It's super close, and just attention to detail will make the difference. Trying to get the best set-up on the car every weekend and then try not to make mistakes. So that's what we'll try to do."

Starting from Mexico next weekend.

Series leader Oscar Piastri called for a calm review of his recent frustrating form and rejected calls for McLaren to prioritise one driver after he finished fifth in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Australian, without a win in four Formula One races since the Dutch Grand Prix in August, admitted he was concerned about both his qualifying and race pace.

"I think it is very important wherever you go to get qualifying right and today I think race pace could have saved you – but I didn’t have that either," he said.

"So obviously, it's something I want to work on. Apart from Baku, this has been the first weekend where I have felt it has been a real letdown.

"It's been sub-par before, but I felt it was pretty good so I've obviously got some things to try and understand from this weekend. It was clearly not all about qualifying.

"It was really difficult to get into a rhythm in any way."

Not the weekend Osc had hoped for, but we’ll be straight back to it next week 💪#McLaren | #USGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/lMynLb7qNp

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) October 19, 2025

Asked about the prospect of McLaren deciding to abandon their "papaya rules" system of supporting both drivers equally and instead choosing to back one, he was against that decision.

"I don't know," said Piastri, who leads the drivers' standings on 346 points ahead of teammate Lando Norris on 332 with Red Bull's Max Verstappen snapping at their heels.

"I don't think so. We are so incredibly tight and we both said we want an opportunity to try and fight for the championship because we deserve it.

"I think it is far too close to start picking one or the other."

Piastri has seen his once luxurious lead of more than 100 points ahead of rampant third-placed four time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull cut to just 40 after the Dutch driver's Texas triumph on Sunday.

Max Verstappen made it clear that he is chasing a spectacular fifth world title after reeling off his third win in four races with a masterclass in Sunday's sizzling United States Grand Prix.

After avoiding direct comment on the championship for several weeks, Red Bull's four-time champion said he felt sure he now has a real chance of snatching the title from the grasp of McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Boosted by cutting Piastri's advantage to 40 points with five Grands Prix remaining, including two more sprint races, a buoyant Verstappen called for Red Bull to maintain their momentum.

"Yeah, for sure, the chance is there," he said. "We just need to try and deliver these weekends until the end. We will try whatever we can."

After winning both Saturday's sprint and Sunday's Grand Prix race, Verstappen has 306 points in the title race, in third place, leaving Piastri on top with 346 points and Norris on 332.

Maximum points from Max in Austin! ✅

He secures 33 points out of a possible 33 points from our Sprint weekend 🤩#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/YBK7X1SqxV

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

McLaren have already won the constructors' title for the second consecutive year, but have focussed on preparing for 2026 and stopped introducing updates to their car for this year -– leaving their drivers nervously scrambling to keep their title bids on track.

The 28-year-old Dutchman has now collected 119 points from a possible 135 over the last five Grand Prix weekends – a run that has also coincided with improvements in form from both Mercedes and Ferrari.

Verstappen added: "It was an unbelievable weekend for us. I knew that the race was not going to be super straightforward and I think, if you look at the whole race, the pace between myself and Lando was really close.

"I think on the first stint is where we made the difference. I could eek out a little bit of a gap and that is basically what we kept until the end."

He added: "I am Incredibly proud of everyone to deliver a weekend like this and now we just have to keep the momentum."

"Thank you very much everyone!" 🥹

An appreciative Max Verstappen signs off his victory with congratulations for his Red Bull team 👏#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/gAM64GHaEN

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

Verstappen's late season charge has prompted memories of the 2007 season when Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari went into the final race in Brazil trailing both McLaren drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, but emerged as champion.

Max Verstappen maintained the pressure on McLaren and cut another chunk out of Oscar Piastri's lead in this year's world championship on Sunday when he cruised to a commanding triumph at the United States Grand Prix.

In sizzling conditions, Red Bull's four-time world champion led from pole position to chequered flag to come home 7.959 seconds clear of title-chasing Lando Norris, of McLaren, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finishing third, 4.041 adrift.

The top-three from a sweltering Austin! 👏🔥

1. Verstappen 🇳🇱
2. Norris 🇬🇧
3. Leclerc 🇲🇨#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/YRvkW0LoWM

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

Australian championship leader Oscar Piastri of McLaren finished fifth.

It was Verstappen's fourth win in Texas and seventh on American soil, his fifth this year and the 68th of his career.

It was also, for Verstappen, the fourth race in succession in which he had out-qualified and out-raced both McLarens.

Verstappen has reduced Piastri's 104 point advantage over him to 40 with five races remaining.

Maximum points from Max in Austin! ✅

He secures 33 points out of a possible 33 points from our Sprint weekend 🤩#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/YBK7X1SqxV

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of Piastri and Mercedes's George Russell.

Verstappen said: "It's been an unbelievable weekend for us. I knew it wouldn't be straightforward and the pace between us was close. But my first stint did it for me.

"Now we have a chance to be there (in the title race) and we just have to keep delivering like that in all the weekends to the end of the season and see what happens. It's exciting. We just need to keep up the momentum."

"Thank you very much everyone!" 🥹

An appreciative Max Verstappen signs off his victory with congratulations for his Red Bull team 👏#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/gAM64GHaEN

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

Norris was relieved to snatch second place after spending most of the race pushing to overtake Leclerc.

"It took me long enough! It was a good battle with Charles, he fought hard. It was tough... But I'm happy to take second."

Verstappen now has 306 points in the title race in third place leaving Piastri on top with 346 points and Norris on 332. McLaren have already won the constructors' title for the second consecutive year.

The 28-year-old Dutchman has now collected 119 points from a possible 135 over the last five Grand Prix weekends.

NORRIS PASSES LECLERC, TWICE

On another day of searing heat in Texas, with temperatures of 30C – and 44C on the track – making it a 'heat hazard' race, Verstappen made a clean start to lead up the hill into the opening sequence of turns with Leclerc, the only top ten driver on softs, passing Norris for second.

Hamilton and Piastri also advanced to fourth and fifth after a poor start from Russell, all of them on mediums as Norris and Hamilton chased Leclerc in the opening laps. That battle gave Verstappen a clear run and he was three seconds ahead by lap four.

Having won Saturday's sprint to trim Piastri's championship advantage to 55 points, the Dutchman was revelling in his form and the role of hunter as McLaren's supremacy evaporated.

By lap 10, Verstappen led Leclerc by 3.3 seconds with Norris third, 1.4 adrift and Hamilton fourth, 1.9 behind him. Piastri was fifth, 3.2 seconds back.

For McLaren, it was shaping up as a nightmare for team boss Zak Brown who feared "that Max guy getting in the middle of our fun".

Leclerc's softs were failing by lap 15 and Norris attacked, but the Monegasque defended and a frustrated Norris collected three warnings for exceeding track limits before he passed him on lap 21.

But after a flurry of pit-stops, Verstappen emerged six seconds clear of Leclerc with Norris, back down in third again.

What seemed to be a pedestrian contest came to life in the final six laps when Norris attacked Leclerc, who was struggling on his worn mediums, and, after several attempts, dived past him at Turn One on lap 52.

A lunge from Lando! 😮‍💨

This is the move that earned the McLaren driver P2 in the end, passing Charles for the second step of the podium 🥈#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/1YBak0Mzrt

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

That helped Norris trim Piastri's championship lead to just 14 points.

The United States Grand Prix will remain in Austin until 2034 after race organisers on Sunday confirmed that they had signed an eight-year contract extension.

The Circuit of the Americas (COTA), which has hosted the event since 2012 to much acclaim, reached agreement with Liberty Media-owned Formula One on Saturday and will continue to be part of the growing popularity of the sport in the United States.

"We're glad that F1 has found a home in Texas," said COTA chairman Bobby Epstein.

"And we are grateful to the fans, teams and entire F1 community who have supported us consistently and made the US Grand Prix a favourite stop on the calendar."

BREAKING: The United States Grand Prix at COTA will remain on the calendar through to 2034! 🇺🇸#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/g3iCjnoeoS

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 19, 2025

In a statement, he added: "With this contract, COTA will overtake Watkins Glen as the longest serving F1 track in the United States. Thanks to the great support and a wonderful host city, this has grown to be one of the world's biggest single weekend sporting events – with an unrivalled annual economic impact."

The United States is the venue of three Grands Prix with Austin, Miami and Las Vegas attracting big crowds -– more than 430 000 attended in Texas last year.