Charles Leclerc just threaded performance, promise and prestige at the crossroads of altitude, asphalt and ambition: the 2025 Mexico City Grand PrixTM.
The Setting: Mexico City’s High-Wire Act
At the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, racing takes on a different flavour, high altitude, thin air and a track that rewards bravery and precision in equal measure.
Leclerc arrived in Mexico City having shown glimpses of resurgence. In free practice he topped the timesheet.
Ferrari’s pace looked improved, but Leclerc was candid: the team was still “on the back foot … compared to Red Bull, especially on low fuel, and McLaren, especially on high fuel.”
The mountain air didn’t automatically level the playing field, but it offered a rich opportunity.
Qualifying: Leclerc Meets McLaren
Leclerc pushed hard in qualifying. He set a leading time : 15.991 s in Q3, but his rival Lando Norris found just a fraction more in the final sector to take pole at 1 : 15.586.
For Leclerc, it was confirmation that the chase is alive yet the hunt remains exacting. He was surprised by how much pace Lando found between the first and second push runs.
The Race: Solid Podium, Strategic Implications
Race day converted potential into concrete reward for Leclerc: a magnificent second place, behind Norris, ahead of Max Verstappen.
He finished +30.3 s behind Norris.
Ferrari looked stronger. Leclerc secured 18 points, signalling to us in Monaco and beyond that the scarlet car remains more than capable of a podium fight.
Yet he also acknowledged the narrative: “We are still on the back foot … but I felt quite good with the car, so we’ve just got to build from that …..” And Charles was thrilled to claim a second podium in as many weekends.
Leclerc’s Performance Is Making the Principality’s Shine
Leclerc driving a Ferrari to the podium twice in succession reinforces Monaco’s own link at the top of motorsport. And with four races to go, every podium is a currency of confidence. Ferrari’s signs of revival hint at upgrades and adaptability, which our Monaco’s track-savvy audience appreciates.
For all of Leclerc’s and Ferrari’s quiet progress, the Mexico City Grand PrixTM also carried a sting. Lewis Hamilton, who had qualified a strong third, his best start yet in red, left the circuit with more questions than satisfaction.
Mid-race, Hamilton cut across the grass at Turn 4 while battling for position. The stewards handed him a 10-second penalty, one he described as pretty nuts as he did the same as everyone else around him. Lewis complained he may have been the only one who got a penalty.
That penalty dropped him to eighth, masking what could have been Ferrari’s first double-podium of the year. Yet Hamilton’s post-race tone wasn’t terribly defeatist. There’s hope!
The Title Picture: With Four to Go
Here’s where the plot thickens. The race result reshuffled the championship storyline. Norris leads the drivers’ standings with 357 points. Oscar Piastri trails by a single point at 356. Verstappen sits dangerously third with 321.
Leclerc is further back but the nature of motorsport means tomorrow can be very different from today. This Mexico result is heartening and bodes well for the future.
