THE STRATEGIST: What could Norris have achieved with a better grid slot in Mexico?
McLaren’s recent run of strong pace throughout both qualifying and on race day continued in Mexico, but for the first time in five Grand Prix weekends they came away without a podium finish. So what went wrong – and what was possible, especially had Lando Norris not had such an uncharacteristically poor qualifying session? Bernie Collins, former Head of Race Strategy at Aston Martin, dives into the data to find out...
The weekend started to unravel for McLaren in qualifying. Norris initially in Q1 ran on the medium tyres but was called to abort during his flying lap. He was told just before the stadium section at the end of the lap to box, for what was later reported to be a fuel issue.

Unlock exclusive F1 content and more with F1 Unlocked. Totally free.
Membership gets you closer with:
Curated insider content
Live like an F1 insider with exclusive access and VIP experiences
Member benefits, rewards and offers
Next Up
Related Articles
6 moments you missed at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
2026 regulations discussed in latest F1 commission meeting
10 of the most memorable pit lane drives in F1 history
F1 ExplainsJames Hinchcliffe and Laura Winter answer your questions
F1 LAUNCHES: When will the teams reveal their cars for 2026?
Red Bull and Racing Bulls reveal season launch date
