Rick's Take: Norris masterclass but fans robbed of epic final lap

With track temperatures peaking at 60 degrees Celsius, McLaren’s ability to manage tyre heat proved decisive to Norris' victory. Even Mercedes, usually vulnerable in such conditions, performed slightly better than expected in Mexico.

The standout concern, however, was Oscar Piastri. After the race, he explained that recent McLaren updates have forced him to adapt to a new driving style. Still, the sudden performance gap between him and Norris is baffling, given how evenly matched they’ve been all season.

Two races ago, they were inseparable on pace. Now, Norris is dominating while Piastri struggles to find confidence in the car. Whether setup direction or pure adaptation is to blame, it’s a mystery that McLaren will need to solve quickly as the title fight tightens.

Max Verstappen, as always, was also impressive, charging from fifth to finish third. It wasn’t the dominant display many expected, but his consistency and racecraft remain formidable.

Charles Leclerc’s second place was equally strong, though he likely would have lost the spot to a fired-up and on the charge, Verstappen had the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) not neutralised the final lap.

The call, triggered by Carlos Sainz parking his Williams safely in the stadium section, felt unnecessary. It was well clear of danger, and marshals had it under control. The decision robbed fans of what could have been an epic final-lap duel between Verstappen and Leclerc and perhaps between Haas rookie Ollie Bearman and Piastri just behind them.

The FIA stewards’ handling of incidents also drew criticism. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton’s 10-second penalty for cutting the grass instead of taking the prescribed rejoin route seemed excessive, especially when compared to similar first-lap excursions by Verstappen and Leclerc that went unpunished. Without the penalty,

Hamilton might well have joined the podium fight, which would have been a welcome boost for Ferrari and its fans. Possibly even deny Verstappen those vital extra points he needs to swing the comeback of the century, in the final four weekends of this campaign.

Despite the officiating controversies, the race confirmed McLaren’s current superiority in hot conditions and hinted that Mercedes may have turned a small corner. Ferrari showed solid pace, while Red Bull continues to rely on Verstappen’s brilliance to stay in the title mix.

As Formula 1 heads to Brazil, a circuit that’s historically favoured Verstappen, all eyes will be on how Piastri responds to slipping behind Norris in the Drivers’ standings. The championship is finely balanced with only four rounds remaining.

And one last note: The Mexican crowd booing Norris during his parc ferme interview was disgraceful. Whatever their reason, he didn’t deserve it. That kind of behaviour has no place in Formula 1.

Looking ahead, we have four more truly grand Grand Prix weekends ahead, which promise more epic battles to decide the 2025 F1 Drivers' World Champion. It's a three-way battle that is tough to call. The best is to savour it and hope that officialdom does not decide who wins it.