Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc Nearly 'Spoils' Championship Battle With Mexico Qualifying

Ferrari has experienced a shocking return to form in the final few Formula 1 races of the 2025 season. For the second race in a row, Leclerc will start the race at the front of the pack.
Kaitlin Tucci|
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari | Scuderia Ferrari

We're in the second race of our North America Double Header at the Mexico City Grand Prix, a track known for its tight walls, extremely long run down to Turn 1 after the start, and sharp turns for the entire lap.

Ferrari has struggled throughout most of the season to even compete in the top 5, let alone the top 2, but today Charles Leclerc put together a qualifying lap in Q3 that even Lando Norris said made him "a little bit nervous."

Charles nearly claimed pole until Lando Norris' final lap topped his shockingly quick time by just over 2 tenths of a second.

Leclerc Knows what it Takes to Succeed Around a Very Difficult Track

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is the track on the Formula 1 calendar with some of the lowest downforce of the entire season, compounded by the lowest grip.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters via Imagn Images

Even our championship leaders, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen struggled with the minimal grip throughout the practice sessions throughout the course of the weekend.

When asked by James Hinchliffe about how Charles felt about the lap that put him on the front row, Charles responded that it was "very, very difficult."

"There's very little grip so the car is sliding a lot and to put everything together is very tricky. I'm really happy with the job we've done. I don't think there was much more in the car. There was a bit here and there, as always in qualifying, but very happy with today's performance."
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, P2

Ferrari's Have Found Their Rhythm Around Mexico Before

This is certainly not the first time that the Ferraris have been strong around Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. It was just last year that Carlos Sainz (now Williams) won the Mexico City Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc on the podium in 3rd place, as well.

Charles reflected on this double podium from last year after qualifying with a solid strategy.

"It would mean a lot we'll do everything in order to get first place into the first corner and then see what's possible."
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, P2

As Charles said, it will now be up to the run to Turn 1 — the longest of any track the entire season — that will determine how his race fares tomorrow.

He will start on the front row with Championship contender Lando Norris, who is in a must-win situation with Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen starting close behind. Leclerc is no longer a contender for the title, but a victory would still be sweet, nonetheless.

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Kaitlin Tucci
KAITLIN TUCCI

Kaitlin Tucci has been a fan of motorsport for close to a decade. Before joining On SI in 2025, she contributed heavily to the marketing and media efforts at FanAmp, a motorsports startup for which she was the Head of Marketing. She has contributed to a number of publications covering series such as Formula 1, IndyCar, IMSA, and more... Kaitlin graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with both a degree in Business/Marketing and Political Science. She works full time as a marketer at high-growth tech startups while spending her weekends immersed in the world of racing. Kaitlin was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, but has lived in New York City for the past 5 years with her 'giant chihuahua' Willow. You'll often catch Willow watching races alongside Kaitlin, but unfortunately she doesn't have enough airline miles to join her at the track just yet.

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