Formula 1 has reached the final five races of the season and the drivers’ championship is tantalizingly close 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 creeping up behind them, cutting their points advantage at an incredible rate across the last four races. Verstappen’s recent resurgence has meant he has a shot at winning a fifth world title this year.

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

Here’s what to expect this weekend…

Weather forecast – warm & sunny

The early forecast shows a warm and sunny weekend in Mexico City with partial cloud and highs of 26°C (79°F) on Saturday. Friday and Sunday have similar temperatures with a low chance of wind.

Jump to: Circuit history & stats | Race predictions | How to watch | Championship standings

This week’s must-read

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

STAY CALM: Identifying the threat is one thing, but combatting it is another — how will McLaren manage the Verstappen title threat?

PENALTY: Carlos Sainz has received a five-place grid penalty at the Mexico Grand Prix for colliding with the Mercedes of Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix. The Williams driver retired from the U.S. Grand Prix, therefore what would’ve been a 10 second penalty in the race has been converted to a grid penalty.

PIASTRI REMAINS CONFIDENT: The Australian remains confident in his F1 world championship chances despite his slashed lead: “I’d still rather be where I am than the other two,” he said.

FP1 NEWBIES: Rising American racing star Jak Crawford will drive in first practice for Aston Martin at the Mexico GP, as Pato O’Ward will drive in Norris’ place for McLaren, and Luke Browning drives for Williams.

HERTA JOINS F2: American driver Colton Herta will take the unique step of racing in feeder series Formula 2 in 2026 in a bid to one day make the Formula 1 grid.

UNLAPPED: For more analysis listen to the latest episode of ESPN’s F1 podcast Unlapped with F1 writers Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson.

How the championships look

The suspense is building!

Oscar Piastri (346 pts) remains the leader, but his advantage is getting progressively smaller as he stands 14 points ahead of Lando Norris (332 pts).

Verstappen (306 pts) is catching up — 40 points behind Piastri, and just 26 behind Norris.

How many points for a race win? Visit our F1 guide for a reminder of how the points system works.

As for a breakdown of podiums and wins, this is how it looks for the top three:

• Piastri – 14 podiums, 7 wins

• Norris – 15 podiums, 5 wins

• Verstappen – 10 podiums, 5 wins.

View the standings

Circuit stats and history

Racing in Mexico City’s Magdalena Mixhuca park dates back to 1959, with the first Formula 1 event at the circuit — a non-championship race — taking place in 1962. Local racing hero Ricardo Rodriguez died during practice for the inaugural F1 event, and from that point onwards the circuit was named after him and brother Pedro, another Mexican racing driver, who died nine years later while racing sports cars.

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez hosted F1 championship rounds from 1963-1970 and again from 1986-1992 before making its return to the calendar in 2015.

The original circuit was known for its fearsome Peraltada corner — a long sweeping right hander before the pit straight with minimal run-off area. When the circuit returned in 2015, the Peraltada had been removed and replaced by the iconic Foro Sol stadium section, which includes two tight corners in a former baseball stadium.

At an altitude of 7,300 feet (2,200 metres), the circuit is the highest on the F1 calendar and presents a unique challenge for teams and drivers. The thinner air means cars run with their highest wing levels but still generate less downforce than they do at Monza, where the lowest wing levels are fitted to reduce drag. The reduced oxygen levels in the air also require the power unit’s turbocharger to spin faster than at sea level, while also creating cooling concerns for tyres and brakes.

Circuit: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez; Mexico City, Mexico

First F1 race: 1963

Laps: 71 laps of 4.3km

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

Most 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 from the current grid:
– Hamilton (2016)
– Charles Leclerc (2019, 2023)
– Verstappen (2022)
– Sainz (2024)

What makes it special: A true anomaly on the calendar due to the high altitudes. Thin air density — about 78% compared to sea level — create odd paradoxes, where teams can run Monaco-level downforce packages while still reaching Monza-esque top speeds. Mexico loves its racing and it remains one of the loudest and most colourful venues on the schedule.

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

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

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 penalties were for two separate incidents with Norris where Verstappen forced him off the track.

Leclerc finished third, as Ferrari took their third double podium of the 2024 season.

How to watch the GP

For fans in the U.S. only, watch live on ESPN and ESPN+.

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

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

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

Note UK daylight savings on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 02:00: Clocks go back 1 hour to GMT.

Friday
Free practice one: 19:30-20:30 BST
Free practice two: 23:00-00:00 BST

Saturday
Free practice three: 18:30-19:30 BST
Qualifying: 22:00-23:00 BST

Sunday
Race starts: 20:00 GMT (live text commentary build-up from 19:00 GMT on ESPN.co.uk/F1).

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