P1 with Matt and Tommy - Mexico City GP Race Review

Episode Date: October 27, 2025

Wait, what was that?! For what’s usually a dull affair, Mexico delivered one of the best races of the season - even if the Championship leader has officially changed, after a dominant Papaya performance… The Delusion Tour starts NEXT WEEK! We're heading to North America in November. Some shows have sold out but there are still a few tickets available - click here to grab yours: tix.to/p1liveYou can listen to an extended version of this (and every Race Review) episode over on our Patreon! You'll also access to every P1 episode ad-free, early access to tickets & merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with us and other F1 fans! Click here to sign up now: http://patreon.com/mattp1tommyFollow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody and welcome back to the B1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. Another one done, Mexico. Wow, I was unfamiliar with your game. Goodness, gracious me. I was expecting after lap one, turn one, to just sit back and snooze for 71 laps. But surprisingly, I know Lando dominated and we didn't even see him the entire race, everything else behind was absolute carnage, Tommy. I know.

Mexico City Grand Prix. is usually abysmal. I've made it very clear on a few times. I think it's certain, like, track layout-wise. I think this may well be my least favorite track layout of the whole calendar. I think it's really, really poor, and it's produced some absolute stinkers. Of course, the altitude makes it very difficult for overtaking as well. And if you'd said to me that, you know, we'd have got this really, really enjoyable race,

I wouldn't have believed you particularly if you'd miss the race because obviously the leader won by over 30 seconds and just completely dominated from turn one as is the norm in 2025 but it was a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant race, really enjoyed it.

It certainly was, and we're going to get into everything and there's a lot of incidents to go through by the way, oh my goodness, I can't wait, some of them I definitely could avoid talking about because one of them was involved in Charlotte-Clau, but before we get into all of that,

We are literally flying to America next week, next Sunday. We're on a plane right now, Tommy, this time next week, which is very exciting indeed. For the P-1 Live Delusion tour, there are still some tickets available, so let me just quickly read out to you. Fourth of November, Seattle, Neptune Theatre, still tickets available for that one. San Francisco is sold out,

but then we go to Denver on the 10th of November at the Savantes Masterpiece Ballroom. The 11th of November is in Dallas at the Granada Theatre. The 13th of November, we head to Toronto at the Danforth Music Hall, and Chicago, the 14th of November at Park West, and then finally, Brooklyn, New York at Warsaw on the 16th of November. There'll be a link in the description. If you get your tickets, if you'd love to see me and Tommy.

And if you're free, it's a good fun evening, I promise you that one. Now, quick shout out to our wonderful patrons, who, of course, will be getting extra chat at the end of this and every race review this season and also enjoying ad-free listening and lots of other extra perks. Right, here we go then, Mexico City Grand Prix chat. We now have four races and two sprints to go until the end of the season, and the championship has got closer. So first question, something we have to cover.

Not that I have overly studied the last Mexico City Grand Prix that we've had, mainly because they have been pretty poor. But was that the best race we've ever had in Mexico? And I'm going to say, yes, because it sticks in the brain. So much overtaking, so much chaos, lots of controversy, incidents that were penalised, an instance that weren't. It kept us guessing all the way literally to the last lap. Yeah, definitely.

I don't think it's a contest personally. We've seen the Mexican Grand Prix deliver or the Mexico City Grand Prix, whichever it decides to be each year. But we've seen the circuit kind of deliver lap one chaos and its fair share of drama, but it normally comes on, as we said, lap one. And then the rest of it is pretty boring with no very minimal overtaking. and a very easy one-stop. But look, it threw everything into the mix.

We had different strategies. We had surprise midfielders up at the front, which we'll talk about. Lots of chaos, lots of drama, lots of controversy. Oh, it was just brilliant. It's one of the races of the season. I cannot believe I'm saying that.

And Landon, I was 1 by 37. Yeah. Telling me it's one of the races of the season. It's definitely up there for sure, purely the midfield, midfield, I guess, from second place down, delivering massively. Now, we head to my most memorable moment.

And it's a big one. A lot of people are quite angry with how the race ended. We all hate a race ending under a safety car. We'd love a safety car or a VSC up until about six or seven laps from the end. And then it can jog on. That's essentially how it works, because then we're in the danger zone, aren't we? the danger zone of the race is going to end neutralised or end any battles that we were having.

Well, we had a very late virtual safety car, didn't we? Where Carlos Sines, loses the car in the stadium section, spins 180, hits the wall, I think gets a right rear puncture from that, and then he does this kind of crabbing walk with the car to this little exit road. And the car is pretty much completely off, not just the circuit, but out of any firing line. The only way Carlos Sines' car is getting hit is if someone decides to do Mexico City Grand Prix backwards. And that was not going to happen. Yeah, yeah. Yes, you're so accurate because the only way, yeah, you go around that very tight corner and then you'd have to spear off, but you're going so slowly that you're not going to hit it at any speed.

So it absolutely makes no, no sense, does it at all? It's ridiculous. You're fuming. I am feeling. I'm absolutely fuming. I was annoyed anyway and I was a little bit, you know, like my thought process here was, and we'll go into this in my most memorable moment when we talk about it later, but Max had good fortune in that race for short. So a little bit after the incident, I was like, I think he has to count his lucky stars a little bit from the way that race went for him. I'd have taken P3 all day long. at the start. But when I went on Twitter and saw the replay of Carlos Sainz driving into the exit road, you know, the only reason to like, say you'd done like more laps, right? All the stewards would have done is push the car into the exit road. So Carlos Sites did the job for them. So why they had to do that made absolutely no sense. And it was so frustrating, not just as a Max fan,

but as a person that wants to see racing, because it wasn't even just Max, you had Piastri going after Bearman. They're incredibly close. They both got within DRS into those final laps, and we were going to potentially see two moves on the final app of the Grand Prix, which is the absolute dream for, you know,

for Formula One fans that won an exciting race, when the racing is going right to the end. And it was literally like pressing a button being like, no fun allowed, we're not allowed to do this now, because it didn't need to happen. It just did not need to happen. And that is what's so frustrating about it. Right, let's get into a question then from P1 Patreon member Mercedes on top.

Was this another choke job by the FIA? I feel like the VSC at the end wasn't needed and some questionable calls at the start. We've not had a good old rant about the FIA for a while, have we? No. We've had the odd decision here that we've questioned. But I feel like this one was a catastrophic error of judgment on many parts. Now, of course, the first one we've mentioned is the virtual safety car, which we are both in agreement was not the right decision. A double-waved yellow sorts that, no problem.

You don't need to neutralise the entire track for a car that is halfway in the exit road. You just don't. Like, come on, guys. I know there's safety, but that's literally what a double-waved yellow is about. a double-waved yellow is slow and be prepared to stop. I don't think Max Verstappen was prepared to stop when he gained half a second on Charles LeClaire in the stadium section and was within six-tenths going into 10-1.

However, the actual job of the stewards, and the FIA is to make sure, and the race director is to make sure that the track is at a safe point, and I think that was more than enough to do a double-wave yellow for that. We then go to Liam Lawson at the start of the race. Liam Lawson, I believe, in the first couple of laps.

It wasn't shown on television, hence why perhaps only the select few that are looking on social media know this even happened. But Liam Lawson, heading into term one, he obviously had a pretty poor start. I think he had to pit very early, didn't he? Yeah, so he was behind the whole pack. Yes, he was behind the whole pack. And two marshals, at least two, at least the ones we've seen, were sent out on track to pick up the debris, the carnage, from lap one. Liam Lawson is entering turn one and he very narrowly

misses these two marshals that are running across the track there are so many variables here that could have ended in utter disaster perhaps a marshal seeing a car coming and freezing rather than continuing to run so many things could have happened there Lawson of course commits to going the way in which he thinks the marshals aren't but that is not a decision

that a Formula One driver needs and should be making during a race. I'm sorry, and I know that it makes sense right, if the entire field are on the other side of the track, they can fly out a marshal to pick up a bit of debris. But that is an insane oversight to not realize that a car is out of the pack and coming into term one.

That's a VSC every single day of the week. They are literal human lives at stake here, and that one is the biggest choke job of them all. You know, we talk about the VSC, we talk about the championship and this, that and the other. Put that aside, this is literal people's safety. And the marshals do a hell of enough as it is for this sport to make sure it continues to run the way it does. That that was simply unacceptable. Yeah, it was an insane moment.

And it's a massive, I hope they investigate this. I don't think it's not even too extreme to say that they need to have a good look at this and find out why it happened. Because you can't just assume that because the whole pack has gone past, that a car isn't going to be on their own. The only incident that springs to mind here is when Esteban Okon pitted at Baku for that final lap. And they just kind of did their usual podium proceedings and didn't think about another car and they just set everything up. they need to have these systems in place where they can clearly understand because for whatever whatever reason these marshals have clearly had the information or as far as they're concerned that the whole pack is on the other side of the track so we're absolutely fine and that wasn't

the case and you've hit the nail on the head that you know the marshals you know these are volunteers putting their lives at danger. They shouldn't be putting their lives at danger, but they obviously were in this situation, to allow us to go racing and for this sport to run. So it shouldn't be happening at all. It should not, and we continue, because there are more things to discuss,

this time with the stewards. Question from P1 Patreon member Alpha 44. Should LeCleur have given back the position to Hamilton on lap one, term one? yes absolutely uh i kind of missed this during the race and i've watched the replay and i cannot believe charler leclair has got away with with this one now of course the incident in question is four wide going into turn one max vastappan of course george russell is uh very kind of annoyed at the situation because he thinks that max has basically cut the track and he seen lecler cut the

as well and he's gone, well, no, this isn't fair. But Max was ahead of those and Max, of course, gives the place back to Hamilton. Charlotte Clare is a weird one because I kind of missed this at the time and like I say, watching the replay, he actually makes the corner absolutely fine.

I don't really understand where he then decides to bail out. It doesn't look like he's struggling. He was out of shape, so he's losing the back end. But that being said, he's behind Lewis Hamilton going into the corner. So he cuts over the track. And I don't know if this is a case of the fact that, one, is on his teammate. So there's kind of special leniency there.

And two, the stewards almost feel like they can't penalize LeCler without penalizing Vestappen for doing the same thing. And that would be even more controversial. But looking back at this, I think Charler absolutely should have given the position to Hamilton. And Hamilton has been absolutely shafted here for essentially being the one staying on the track. So, yeah, it's a crazy situation and I can't believe LeCleur got away with this one. I am also, it was surprised a lot of you of the same opinion that Charlele Clare should have given the position back to Hamilton at the apex, which is what it always matters in terms of

the racing in Formula One. Hamilton is still side by side, if not margin. marginally ahead at the apex on the inside. Hamilton's on the inside. Charlecler, sorry, Hamilton's on the inside in control of his car. Charles LeCler is on the outside,

not in control of his car. I cannot believe he's gotten away with this. I'll take it every day of the week. Thank you so much. Cheers, F. I appreciate you. Thank you so much. Yeah, nice, nice stuff. But looking back at it,

because it was insanely chaotic, it genuinely feels like they just didn't notice. They didn't notice, yeah. Which is utterly insane. And I think when we look at the Max Verstappen thing, I believe that's slightly different because he comes into that, in my opinion, in fourth

and ends the sort of scene in fourth. So Max does not gain a lasting advantage. And Max did very well to not end up in the wall, to be honest with you. Whereas Charles LeCler, you know, he's obviously dumped the throttle. He's like, I'll take first here and then I'll give back the position to Lando. And go into your point about teammates. I strongly hope that this isn't the case where they look at it and get, because this is what I think Karun said on the skypad.

It's like, oh, we know, the team aren't going to argue it. They're not going to do this. They're going to be on the blower to the FIA officials. I'm like, that's not what happens anymore. But also, you put that situation into a McLaren and they're both going for the world titles, so they have to decide. Exactly. And rules need to be enforced no matter if you're in the same team or not.

And that's how it works anyway. It's afterwards. If you're appealing and things like that, or you're seen afterwards and you get both representatives, that's usually when it's like, oh, it's hush, hush, whatever, we're both in the same team. But for stuff like this, where LeClau's literally cut the corner, that is either a penalty or it isn't, and it shouldn't be, oh, it's on Hamilton, so don't worry about that one. Yeah, that's all good. It makes no sense to me, because I'm pretty sure, again, going back to teams arguing their case,

they don't do that at this stage of the proceedings in the race. So Charlotte Claire's very, very lucky. I think Max, he went for something very audacious, and he was lucky to end in fourth and not in the wall and his championship over. But it was utter carnage. It was difficult for us to keep on top of, but you can't really give the same leniency to the FIA

and the stewards when they have to referee this race. Yeah, I do. I'm not trying to excuse them, but unfortunately there's too many circuits on the Formula One calendar now that as these cars are enormous, they're almost like they don't have another choice. And weirdly this one isn't run off. They're obviously like going over the grass. But it's still an advantage.

It's still an opportunity to bail out. So whether it's a case of you need gravel to stop it happening or sausage curbs or something, because we've seen this, I remember one year where Hamilton himself basically just, straight-lined Mario Kart mushroom over the whole first sector and it was was fine because yeah in a weird way like circuits shouldn't be that where where you kind of Vastappen played the percentage games as they normally does but it still kind of I do understand why maybe like someone like George Russell was a little bit like come on these guys aren't staying on the track even though He was more than that, mate.

He popped off on the team radio. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, George was fuming in the whole race, wasn't he? He certainly was. Another question from P1BATRI member, R Sport. Did Lewis get the short end of the stick compared to Max with the stewards? Right, let's get into this one now.

The first couple of corners are done. Yes, I agree Charlotte Clare got away with a very cheeky move there and kept the position on Lewis. This one, there are many. points to it. So, I mean, Lewis essentially on track was second. You had Shal and Max and flipping Kimmy Antonelli all going over the grass. The actual driver's on track. He was second at this point behind Lando until obviously everyone rejoined. For this one, of course, Hamilton is fighting. Max just happened a little bit later on. I think this wasn't even on the first lap, was it? This was lap six. Lap six. A few laps later, it's still kicking off. And Hamilton and Matt's

Of course, Max sends the move into term one, doesn't he? Absolutely barrels into term one. And to be honest with you, not penalty worthy, in my opinion. I think it's hard racing. I think it's a racing incident. They're both giving it. And that's what I want to see, right? I don't necessarily, I mean, Max, I'm sure, didn't mean to make actual contact, although some people will disagree with that. I don't think it's penalty worthy. What happened there? Those two were just fighting for position. It was awesome to watch. It was then the next sequence of corners where Hamilton breaks so unbelievably late to try and get around the outside of Max and then to go to the inside of the next corner

snatches a break, goes off the track. There's the race director's notes that he's supposed to stay in this very narrow lane to rejoin, but he's going too quick and the stewards are like, fine, no problem. We're not going to penalise you for that, which is something worth mentioning because I think even Ferrari got confused

as to why they got a penalty. I thought initially that was the reason why he'd got the penalty, but it's not... There was so many separate investigations for like one sequence of events. It was crazy. But it was the fact that Hamilton had not made the move and not completed the move on Max Verstappen

and essentially just cut the corner, doesn't matter that it didn't go on the runoff, tried to, of course, get back on the track as soon as possible and then stayed ahead of Max Verstappen after that, which, on review, I can understand why he got a penalty. I feel sorry for Hamilton in the sense of, there was so much hope for him to get a podium first podium for Ferrari

it looked very likely that that would happen until all the carnage ensued but when you look at what happened you can't say that he didn't deserve some kind of penalty some people are feeling quite aggrieved that it's 10 seconds but at the same time

those people may also be slightly confused as to what the penalty was for because if it was just not staying within that narrow lane you can think oh maybe five seconds but is the fact that he corner cut hadn't made the move and essentially gained a last

advantage. So it's always very difficult, isn't it, to be like, what is the appropriate penalty? But corner cutting and taking a position should, in theory, be 10. Yeah. And you look at the incident as well. And I think what the stewards probably took a dim view on is, one, he's gone off, like you say, and he's got that lasting advantage. And you mention about him not giving the place back to Max Staepin. Of course, in that whole crazy sequence of events, which was absolutely unbelievable, by the way. I was like, what Grand Prix am I watching?

This can't be Mexico because this is far too exciting. Olly Behrman passes Max. So, of course, Hamilton would have to give the move, have to give the position back, let Bearman through as well and Max, because he's not done that. So the stewards are probably, you know, taking a dim view of that.

Not only that, Hamilton's just bounced. He's not taken any kind of, you know, decision to basically like kind of maybe even like back off a little bit and let the others catch him up a bit and then maybe argue it. I know it wouldn't matter. He would have had to give the position. But it's the fact that, yeah,

like he's not given the position back and he's basically just like put his foot down and gone, see you later. Thanks very much. So 10 seconds when you kind of think of it that way. Yeah, you know, it's a big penalty. and I do feel sorry for Hamilton because the way, you know, he qualified and how you're looking at the situation of the start, which also he got screwed over from, as we mentioned, with the Leclair and Verstappen thing, mainly LeClaire, of course.

A podium could have been on and instead, you know, he's had a really poor race after that. So it's gutting for him, but I can see why the stewards gave that penalty. Absolutely. Gosh, so many incidents. It's wild to even try and cover them all. Tommy, let's go to your most memorable moment, shall we? My most memorable moment was just how that championship battle changed throughout the race again. And as we get into this closing stages of the season, what we thought was the worst championship battle of all time is actually getting. getting incredibly exciting and every single little detail counts. You know, you've just seen Landon Norris have arguably the best race of his entire career,

completely dominant all weekend, smashed his teammate, never in doubt, led into turn one, which I think is very impressive, a track like Mexico, to deliver that performance and take the championship lead. And then Oscar Piastri, he's done a a little bit of damage limitation himself. I think he'd have taken fifth bizarrely at the start of how his weekend's gone. Fifth is a great result for him. And of course, he's probably going to feel as aggrieved as Max Verstappen not getting those extra points on Ollie Bermann at the end, because he'd have had a great opportunity. And then Max again has gained points weirdly in the championship, which is an insane thing to think about because it did feel like it was over

yesterday and we were saying he needs to finish at the top. And there were so many moments in that race watching it as a Max Fassapham fan. And if you're watching the watch along, I apologize because he'd have seen them all, all the emotions of me being, you know, pessimistic Max fan Tommy. But there were just so many moments where it was flipping and changing, you know, the first corner, almost in the wall, that would have been championship over. Then the incident with Hamilton, oh, is he going to get a penalty here? then he's losing places to bearman then it was looking like oh was he on the wrong strategy

then kind of everything went his way with everyone deciding to pit and looking like he's you know there was a situation where he was going to have to fly through the field essentially and start making all these passes and actually the whole sea just parted for him and everyone decided to pit which helped him and then another twist at the end with the vSC we are going to look back on this championship and these little things like people pitting here or a certain driver not making a move or a VSC, this is going to decide this world championship and that's why it is so fascinating and every moment counts and that is what's going to make F1 so, so exciting in these final four races because everything matters so, so much. It certainly does and as you mentioned in the

watch along. My goodness, you were, it was championship on, championship off. I don't want to watch Formula One anymore. I love Formula One. You thought he was going to finish seventh when he came out the Piers or eighth. And I was like, no, Tommy's going to come through, bro. I'd have taken third at the start. Yeah, you would have. And then at the end, you're flipping tables. And now I'm like, no, it's, no, it's, no, it should have finished second. It's, it's an emotional roller coaster, I think it's because you know, as a Max fan, that every single point matters from Max's perspective in particular. He does. Was he perfect today?

I don't think so. No, he definitely scrapped for a P3, almost a P2. But the championship battle is one point. Now, Lando Norris leads the world championship by one point with four races and two sprints to go over Oscar Piastri. Max Vastappen is 36 behind Lando Norris. if the McLaren is the way it has been around Mexico by the way Formula One graphic please amend because after free practice

you said the McLaren was the third fastest car don't think it is genuinely it's Lando or Oscars 100% but then again if you look at the previous races before that you think it's Max and the momentum but I think Max made a good point of like

the races that he had won leading up to the Mexico City Grand Prix were close that in terms of his pace he wasn't miles ahead of McLaren he was a match for them at the very best but he just utilised and executed perfectly but the championship battle was brilliant

you can't say it isn't poised so beautifully you've got Oscar and we're wondering is he going to bounce back at all Lando is on a good run of form Max is fighting a car that clearly sometimes works and sometimes doesn't it's brilliant to watch but Lando certainly in my eyes is the

the Stone Cold favorite now, unless Oscar can get himself out of this rut. Question from P1, Patreon member Quinty. Will Zach now officially make Lando the number one driver for McLaren? Can you imagine? Lando, you are one point ahead, my son.

You are now the number one. Oscar has to move away, move aside. No, no, there's no chance. To be honest, form, I know it's very much recency bias. Do they even need to make Landau? a number one driver if Oscar's in this serious struggle town and if he continues to be this way, Lando will just win on track.

He was nowhere near was Oscar. He was over 40 seconds behind Lando at the end of the race. So McLaren don't need to do anything. Just stop. Just don't. Just don't touch anything. Just let it cook because it will play out the way that we maybe see it going now with Lando potentially becoming world champion.

They don't need to do anything now. They've won the constructors. They won it a while ago. and I mean they need to fix Oscar because we can't be having him finishing 40 seconds behind Lando for the rest of the season. That's what McLaren should be focusing on is why is Oscar Piastri now struggling so, so much. How do we help you get back in this championship fight? Yeah, definitely. They can't pick a side after, you know, it's one point in it.

I think they mentioned, didn't they, that, as Max gets closer, will they have to pick aside? The problem is that they're too close, as we mentioned before. And I know this is pessimistic me appearing again. Here we go. But I'm not saying Max is out of it,

but they've got some breathing room. And now it does feel like, because there's only four races to go, and it is over a win, and kind of a win and a fourth, fifth, that basically like McLaren should in theory be fine unless they have a double DNF again. If they have a collision, that's when it would bring.

You've learned nothing from this season, have you? You've got two sprints as well, which are 16 points. You've got 116 points on the table. But no, this is what I'm saying. I know there's a lot of points on the table, but McLaren have absolutely, and Landers absolutely walked that race. And the gap is a large one. obviously Max is still in it

it's weird that he's now closer but the percentage is like lower of believing that Max can do it now which is an odd one but I think that's more just the fact that you know he's not because he'd won all those races you kind of think like this is going to happen until the end of the season

but I think just the way that Lando is driving and he is the favourite for sure at the moment He's on amazing form. But you never know with Oscar Piastri, like, has he, it's going to be fascinating to see if Oscar can pick himself up because he's now going to be kind of written off and maybe,

weirdly, the pressure is now going to switch the other way. I think that this is going to be the fascinating thing with the McLaren's, is we said that maybe Lando is performing so much better because the pressure was off. Now he's back in the leads of the championship. And Oscar's the one with the pressure off. I don't know. Like, will it change again? Who knows?

I don't know if Oscar has pressure off being one point behind his teammate. I feel like it's, you know, it's... No, no. If there's 20 points behind, you could argue that. I just mean more the fact that, like, yeah, I think with Oscar, the thing that I think is going to be the key here is he goes into that next race. And if he's back on form or can challenge Lando again, you could argue that he's like weathered the storm actually quite well.

the storm Brazil coming up like that yeah yeah yeah storm coming probably because you know they are level so Oscar despite form still has a good chance of winning this world championship of course it does the car's there we just need to see that Oscar Piastri

of old to for him to win it but yeah it's still very very close and yeah as I mentioned in you know the what I said before that every moment is going to count. And I think that we're going to look back at this world title.

And if Oscar Piastri wins it by a couple of points, you can look back at certain moments and go, oh, he did this. And that's why he's won the championship. And if Lando doesn't win, we'll go, oh, look, if he hadn't have had this DNF here, he would have done it. And Max, Spain, whatever, like,

there's going to be so many moments, Austria. It's going to come down to, to, little moments and the way the championship's going is going to be so close going to the end. Certainly is, I bet Oscar's still again wishing he'd maybe just not given the place in Monzo and he'd have a two-point lead in the championship and these small points will certainly add up

come the end of the season. A question from P1 Patreon member Thimmer How on earth can the pit wall at McLaren still ask the drivers to play nice? When are we seeing the rivalry between title contenders? Yeah, it's ridiculous that they're on the radio going Basically, from my understanding it was If there's a safety car

We need to basically, Lando, could you tell us what to do for Oscar? And, you know, I'd have respected Lando if he'd gone stick the inters on We said that on the watch long, didn't we? That was not my job, yeah, yeah. But it's so true, like he should have just, he should have just told them to F off because That would have been a very massive change in dynamic if he had said that after everything that we've said this season.

No. But it is just stupid. Like let them race now. The Constructors is out the way. And I think this does prove that McLaren will still do all these shenanigans. And even though the Constructors is wrapped up, they will still, for some reason, be thinking about scoring maximum points. The most points.

What for? What are we working for here? The constructors is one. The only thing. The only thing up for grabs is the driver's championship and Lando is fighting the driver on the other side of the garage. I don't get it. I can understand if Max was like really breathing down their neck and they need to work together to like make sure that, you know, Oscar beats Max as well because then like, you know, the, the Max is really like fighting and is right behind them and we need to make sure we don't lose it. but at the moment they do have some breathing space.

I know Max is gaining and it is getting closer, but at this stage, they can afford to just let them race and do their own thing. Yeah, totally agree. That's the racing I want to see. Next question, FIFA NR6. Did McLaren's massive advantage today save Piastri? If the car wasn't that dominant, Piastri would have probably been fighting for P7 or P8 with his pace all weekend.

I don't think you can really talk about the, because Piastri was not feeling the massive advantage that Lando Norris had in the car. I think Oscar did have at times during this race good pace. He was behind the Mercedes. He was just constantly looking like he was shaping for an overtake on somebody, but couldn't carve his way through the field like perhaps he would have wanted at one point. I think we were wondering if he'd beat Olly Behrman to a podium and things like that. but I don't think it's necessarily him being saved. He finished fifth.

It's not like he was second place, but 40 seconds behind Lando. He still lost a huge chunk of points to his teammate. So, you know, Oscar after the race chatting to, I think it was Rachel Brooks, seemed pretty, pretty, I mean, neutral about it all and slightly lost. It has to be said. It didn't, he was basically trying to figure out what would make sense. and basically make learnings. But the thing is, like, what do you learn at Mexico at these heights,

this altitude that you'll then take into Brazil? Which, to be fair, is also decent altitude, but a very different track. So, I don't know, it was an okay performance from Piastri. I'm not going to say that he was saved by the car. I think he's just generally struggling. And, yeah, there was a huge amount of dirty air for him as well. So a very different race to what Lando had out in front, but Lando was clear.

Lando was absolutely dominant this weekend. Yeah, he was clear. It's an insane thing to think about that you just look at that gap, 42 seconds behind your teammate. That is literally like second Red Bull driver territory that you just don't see. And I know it's sound like a broken record, but this is insane what is happening with Oscar Piastri. To be 42 seconds off, he has to find something in Brazil.

anything just to be back on that level because we know he's a good driver and can do it and I don't think it's you know I don't think that that Lando is a way better driver than Oscar Piastri for sure they've been so close all year that they've been you know the championship has been like trading between them and and I know Oscar's led it for a very long time but in terms of like the race wins and things it is very close between them So this is not where Oscar Piastri should be. And he just has to find something in Brazil if he's got any hope of this championship

because the form is quite frightening. It is frightening but not in a good way for Oscar. Let's move to someone that is very happy with their performance. And finally, the breakthrough moments that we've been speaking about for a very long time on this podcast. We've had good positions. for him, but this one was headline worthy. It's of course, Olly Beerman, finishing fourth in the end, and I couldn't be happier for him. Of course, we had him on the podcast not that long ago.

Absolutely lovely chap. Great to chat with him, and he's just, you can just see he's living the dream. He's obviously very new to Formula One. And what tenacity he showed today. It's not like he spawned in P4 and then held on for Dear Life. He fought the Vestappans and the Hamilton's, and everyone else for those positions. He passed him on track. Exactly. So he was not scared to get involved with the big dogs, which was great to see,

but then also to have the relentless pressure of the two Mercedes behind him, constantly bearing down on him, and he didn't put a foot wrong. It was what he did in that sort of lap six chaos paid off beautifully for him because he ended up finishing basically where he was at that point. So I'm so happy for Ollie that.

He's able to have this moment now in his career so close to a Hasse podium, but the strategy just didn't pay off for him and it did for Max Verstappen. But it was awesome to see the emotional scenes afterwards as well. His family's so proud of him. It's just a very heartwarming moment to see Olly finish there. It was incredible what he did as well. And it wasn't like a crazy qualifying situation where he's got his car into a good position and then no one can overtake now.

you know, he fought from ninth on the grid to get up there into the podium spots took advantage of all that chaos. I mean, I can't believe what I was watching when we saw not only had he had that good start, but when we saw that Hamilton battle, that Olly Bearman just going through it to fourth, it really was like, what am I watching here?

It was unbelievable. And you can watch every single drive rating this year, like so many of them, and we have this talk all the time where we go, my God, Olly Behrman is so, so fast. If he just hooked up a weekend with no mistakes and no penalties and errors here and there, he could get an absolutely unbelievable result. And that is case and point that he hooked it up altogether. And there's always that little bit of disappointment when someone finishes P4 that's not been on the podium has have never had a podium and they were a P4

you know it's their best ever result but it is his time will come Oli Behrman no doubt and you've got to think that you know his future if he continues this form Ferrari are going to be looking at him for sure who will he replace that's the question in the years to come. But yeah, especially when he was running in third as well,

like the dream was alive. And none of us saw a two-stop coming as well. We genuinely thought Olly Beerman was on for a P3. Question from P-1, Patreon member, Cesar. Cesar. Why did Berman, Russell, and other top drivers pit again? They could have extended on their mediums like Norris and the Claire did. It's a tough call.

I think Berman obviously ran that risk of had he not pitted, he could have dropped back all the way down and tumbled down the order. It's, I know it would have been very easy to go for broke and I think the kind of that approach is a good job I'm not a strategist because I always love to see them go for something crazy and go, oh, you know, P3, just go for it, try and get a podium and if you finish eight, so be it. but it's huge points for Hass. And you also look at the fact that just how much for Stappen took out of Lecler by the end. You know, it didn't seem like Max was racing Leclerc and then he was able to eke out that point. Norris is a completely different scenario because he was just untouchable and we know how good McLaren are on their tires. And I think particularly if, like, Olly Baerman had stayed out and Russell and everyone else had pitted, it would have just made him even more.

easy prey and everyone would have would have passed him. So I think has actually made the right call in the end. It was touch and go for sure that the mediums, which is something that we had to sort of shift our brains about a bit, didn't we? Because the mediums usually are the tire. They're the tire for the race. Everyone loves them, but they hated them this weekend. The softs were the ones that worked so amazingly well. And Tommy, during your pessimistic phase, which is to be fair, all the time, but your most pessimistic phase was, of course, when Max was on the mediums at the start. He's got no pace, this, that and the other. Turns out, the tire was actually terrible. And I can understand, as you said, for Hass and for Behrman, they needed to secure some points.

If they'd got that wrong, if they'd rolled the dice for a P3 and ended up in P8, they'd have been kicking themselves because they were trying to overtake Salba for eighth in the constructors, which they now have. So I understand from a a bareman perspective, like P4 still means a huge amount. And I think it was the right decision because, you know, Max gained a huge amount on Charles LeClair. Max was never fighting Charles LeClair in our eyes until the, obviously, everything just paved so beautifully for him and he went on the attack. And he was on pretty old soft tires in comparison to everyone else that had pit for brand new ones. And they were putting some lightning lap times in. So I genuinely think if Ollie had just stayed out

on his own, he'd have been in a world of trouble. So probably the right decision, for sure. As you say, Lando in a league of his own, miles clear. He could do what he want. He could literally chuck on the wet tires, get out and have a walk and a cup of tea and get back in his car. He was home and dry. So yeah, I don't think it's something we can have a go at for Hasse and for Berman because it was the right thing to do,

because literally everybody else pit as well for the softs. It's not like someone gambled and made it work that we can use as an example. Like Norris and Lecler were sort of chilling in their own strategy for the entire race. So I don't think you can really can't compare. So I think it made sense. Next question, P1Petri member, Edith is my middle name. Did Pirelli cook? That two stop was something else.

Pirelli did cook. I said it in the watch along. I think they've figured it out, right? So what we need, a soft tires that work, medium tires that look like they'll work, but they don't, and hard tires that are like putting concrete on. So they were kind of forced into doing a, two-stop because they didn't want to be on the mediums and the hards was just not an alternative.

What that means for future races, if that's the case, I don't know. But I liked it. It's the unpredictability, but the problem is, once Formula One teams learn. If this was then the trend, they would learn a way of getting around it and they'd make sure that a one-stop works in the future. But for this one, it worked beautifully well. It was such a trade-off between a two and a one. And it was so surprising, as I said, to see the two. So, yeah, Pirelli, you get my plaudits. was a perfect strategy race. Yeah, I thought it wasn't going to make a difference and I think you've hit the nail on the head that the reason it did work is because you kind of had two tires that weren't great. We've seen we've seen them do this before where they put a difference

between the tires to try and spice up the racing but unfortunately what happens is they just throw away one of them that isn't worth it and then we get exactly a normal race. But if it if it makes the situation where one of them isn't isn't good and it throws them off, yeah, it's great. And yeah, I'm surprised how in a track like Mexico, we always kind of mention about sprint weekends and things are good because they get less data and stuff. You think after three practice sessions that have figured it, like worked it all out and stuff. But instead, they didn't and an F1 is always much better for it when you get a variable and something changes in the race and they go oh actually no this is completely different and you just almost like need

just like one team like and in this situation it was kind of like Red Bull going on the mediums changing it then everyone sees something different the problem is when they all start on the same tires and pit at the same time that's when everyone just copies each other um so yeah Pirelli well done and I really hope this trend continues please please and thank you next question p-1 patreon member georgina should mercedes have let george passed before they did would this have changed the outcome at all they're in a tricky situation because they didn't want to let george through because kimi antona was having a good race you kind of saw there that despite george being the one that's having a great season.

He's, you know, 160 points glare of Antonelli. You kind of played out there that like George isn't the number one driver at Mercedes like he probably thinks he should be. You know, that that's shown by the contract situation and everything else. And unfortunately for George, despite his best efforts and having, doing an amazing job this season, he is not far and away the favorite at Mercedes. and they didn't know what to do really because I think what they had to do was either say flat out no and I can see why they kind of didn't want to do it because Kimmy Antonelli was having a great race his confidence has been shot quite a lot of this season and if they'd let him go and he'd just

tumbled down the order he'd have obviously been very frustrated but what they did do was kind of like wait a little bit too long then swap and you kind of need to make that decision one or the other. You can't kind of do half. It's something that we've seen a few teams like Ferrari do in the past. And we say you are they need to make the decision completely and stick by your guns and just go with it. Or you say, no, you're not coming past.

But what they did was let George Cook his tires essentially not be able to get the advantage, didn't help him out too much. And then decided to swap when it was kind of almost a little bit too late. but yeah George was absolutely fuming on the radio it was quite quite crazy to watch you know George Russell who's someone that's very PR friendly and and whatever to basically be very angry with this team I think it's the first time we've ever really seen it yeah he properly popped off at Mercedes he was not happy at all that he was not being let

through it was clear that he was the faster car at that stage of the race I don't think you can deny that. Couldn't pass Antonelli, so it wasn't like he was extraordinarily fast. That was wild from his team to say, overtake him then, by the way. He's like, okay, then, overtake him. It's like, wow, okay, fine. Not sure what that says, and I think I do know what it says.

It's Toto Wolf saying, well, you know, my boy, Antonelli. Go get my favorite child, Anteimli. With your undisclosed multi-year contract, George Russell or see you in 2026, and they're very sort of secretive out there about how long they're signing George. But they should have in hindsight, yes, let George passed before they did because as we heard,

he was overheating the car and I think he even with that sort of, I don't know if it was a wow or whatever he noise or sound he made after he was let through but it almost felt like a too little too late sort of moment because after that he made no impression really on Bearman. As much as we were kind of expecting it, maybe he was going to mount a challenge.

He couldn't get close. He didn't do any more than what Kimmy Antonelli was able to do. So yeah, if I was George, I'd feel a little bit aggrieved. Like, why would they make them fight when it's not even for the win? They're not even on the podium at this stage. And Antonelli had a solid amount of time to try and make an impression on Berman, but didn't. So it's an interesting message it sets at Mercedes, doesn't it?

Going into next year when they're both signed again, we think in theory that, you know, Mercedes could well have the car to beat. And, you know, George is seen there that he's not got the backing of his team and that number one status that maybe he kind of thinks that he should deserve with Kimmy, the kind of rookie and that they would basically be like, yeah, we'll do good for the team. You're quicker. Have a go. And we'll swap back.

But they were very much like, no, thank you. It also doesn't shout that they give two hoots about the constructions. Championships championship because they are locked in for this. I know, Tommy. I know it was an excuse. I literally tossed the ball up to you to get home one with it. The fight for P2 is the most boring thing ever. It's an insightful thing.

Yeah, I know Tommy. But it's also it is an insightful thing that, you know, if Mercedes truly cared about that and maximizing the points. You think McLaren are in this fight for second place in the constructors. They're the one that's constantly maximizing every ounce of a point out there. Mercedes is like, yeah, you two can fight. Don't worry about that one. We'll finish fourth in the constructors, no problem.

Very strange. very strange. A lot of money on the line as well, for sure, with the teams. So let's head now. Two biggest winner, driver or team? I think for me, it has to be Lando Norris. It is a huge statement in the championship for this race weekend, completely and utterly untouchable from start to finish. So for me, Lando Norris, and honorable mention to Olly Berman, but I think in the greater context of the championship is a massive weekend for Lando. I can't believe Olly Behrman is fourth and I'm not going to pick him as biggest winner, which is insane, but it has to be Lando Norris.

We said last, you know, our controversial, the controversial opinion that was picked in best reactions last time out was that is Lando now championship favorite? I was kind of like, well, yeah, I can see it. And it kind of got almost like laughed off a little bit. saying that he was third favourite before, you know, coming into this weekend, all the talk was on, Oscar's got the points lead, Max Verstappen's coming, can he win the title, Landau's completely forgotten. And I think this win now surely makes Landau the overwhelming favourite. He's got the car underneath him.

It's a completely dominant win. He's got the points gap as well on Max Verstappen, who we know knows how to win, win titles. so yeah it's got to be Lando right what about biggest loser I think my suggestion for this one is Alpine they were literally in another formula this weekend crazy isn't it

37 seconds Gassley finished behind Lance Stroll Colapinto finished three tenths behind his teammate because these two apparently are glued together for the entire race but Alpine my God they just absolutely nowhere so they're am my biggest loser. Hmm. Yeah, definitely up there.

Think. Well, about Alonzo, mate. I mean, he got told to let stroll through and then mysteriously then just retired the car. Yeah. I think Carlos, I think Carlos Sainter's a good chat as well. The fact that he put in that unbelievable qualifying lap and then had, of course, the penalty. And then just an awful race with the fact that, you know, he had this pit limer to problems. And then they gave him a drive-through, which felt like troll-y-lawing.

from the FIA really to be like right come on have another go test your pit limit to let come on yeah test it again this time give up uh yeah there's a few there's a few candidates here i think you know Lewis Hamilton's been hard done by um with what should have been potentially the podium finally finally happening is finished down in eighth but yeah i did i did look at alpine actually and just think like my god they are in a in a kind of situation now where it feels like for the kind of few races gone by, like we don't have like a far and away worst team. That very much is Alpine. They are almost becoming like the Williams or the Hass of years gone by where they are just

fighting at the back and miles off. I think it just shows that they literally just don't care about this car. Not even a single point of them is thinking about 2025. They're just putting four wheels on the car, a front wing and a rear wing and going, go on, lad. Off you go. It's interesting that the Gasoline Colopinto always. seem to be having the greatest race of all time for the final position.

They're always locked in together and battling for... No team orders this time from what we could tell. But maybe there was, which this wasn't televised. Right, let's head to our predictions that we made on Wednesday to see how we did. It is currently level pegging, 47 apiece. We had to good surprise where I went for Oscar Piastri, and that was really surprisingly bad. So that's no points for me. And I went for George Russell, who also had a pretty poor race, must say.

Got beaten by Kimi Antonelli. So that is definitely not a good surprise. Now this, my big flop. Oh my God, I forgot about this. My big flop is up there with one of probably your Baku prediction, not your good one, your very, very bad one. This is a generationally bad big flop because I went for Ollie Bearman. I had the greatest race.

Who almost got a podium for Hass. So my big flop that I've been celebrating this entire season for getting me a lot of points has backfired massively. Indeed. Yeah, I went for Yuki Sonoda, who finished 11th. Finishing 11th, sorry, there's absolutely no chance as a big flop. However, I will say, Yuki was going sort of quite quietly about his business. I'm not saying he was Max Verstappen podium territory, but he had a 12 second pit stop. 12 seconds. My guy was easily finishing ninth, I reckon, which of course, you know,

not the dizzying heights of Olly Berman, but he was doing very well indeed for what is that second red bull seat. And the strategy was right. I think he had the same as Max Verstappen pretty much. He stayed out, didn't he, for a very long time. And running up in fourth, wasn't he, behind Max? But he basically was like hung out to dry a little bit as well with the strategy. And then the pit stop just Yeah just absolutely killed his race So I feel sorry for Sonoda But it is not a flop Tommy

Well you know he's had a bad stop No no no no no it's not that's it Okay right let's go to pole position Where I went for Max Verstappen Incorrect And I went for Landon Horace Which is correct Congratulations I'll be happy with the money

Third place I went for Charles LeCler Which was too low Unbelievable And also the VSC, yeah, crazy. I mean, yeah. I went for Oscoe Piazri. No. No, not on the podium once again for Piaastri.

In second place, I went for Max for Stappen, which was one too high. So I could have got two points and I got them! And I went for Landon Horace. I obviously wanted him to go, wanted to go for him for the win, but you blocked me. How day. I did indeed. In first place, I went for Landon Norris, so I could. have had a three-pointer. Oh my word. The VSC cost you.

I knew there was something within me that was willing for Max for Stappen to get through on Charlotte Clare at the end. I didn't know what it was because of course it's completely, it doesn't make sense because I want Charlotte Clare to finish P2 but then also Charlotte Clare finishing P3. Does that change anything in the world? No, not really, but it puts Max closer in the championship. It also puts me ahead in the championship. But no, alas, the stupid VSC. I'm even more angry about that now. What about our one crazy prediction? For me, I went for track limits for one of the top three

in either qualifying, important Q3 lap or penalty in the race. And that did not happen. I wish I'd said, not top three in the championship. Wait, did I say top three? Or did I just say top three? What's written down here says one of the top three. And there was 100% track limits. What was saying?

No, no. Yeah, penalty in the race. Hamilton was third and he got a penalty. You can't just give a penalty for any one. one there. No, it's not. Yeah, I did mean top three in the championship. But I wish I had said just the top three and then I would have got it. I said, half a point. What are we thinking? No, no. I said all McLaren pit stops are under three seconds and I can't believe. The way I knee slid on the watch along when Oscar Piastri bagged a 3.6. The way I shouted F off, uh, F off McLaren

during quite loudly and within three seconds got a WhatsApp from my wife saying please don't swear so loud because Grace is in the room behind and she hadn't gone to bed oh my God can you imagine she adds to her vocabulary do do do do Max Westappen and then F off McLaren wow that is absolute cinema if that happened it is a bit weird though isn't it for you to be obviously in this championship rooting for a quick McLaren pit stop when every fibre of your being is wanting the other side of that some Mexican benefit. I mean too fair. If Landau had had a 33 second pit stop, it is still one.

That's true. It's true. Our Patreon prediction. If you're part of the P1 Patreon, then you get to submit a prediction that we select the one that I chose was Alan Enderpe. Someone ignores team orders. I feel like colipinto and ghastly. We might find out later, but as time of recording, no.

No social video to suggest that there was any ignoring of team orders, sadly. And I went for Captain of's 3420. At least two championship contenders have some sort of incident with each other on lap 1. And Lando and Max were four wide going into the corner. He was involved. Incident. That's what you said. Crash contact goes fully off track.

Technically Lando was on the inside, so he pushed Max off because he was getting the big. You were far too specific with this, Captain Obs. Otherwise, you might have been able to get away with that. So it's 48 all now. 48 all, so it's a great week for predictions. We both score one point and keep it level. So it's one point separating Norris and Piastri.

It's zero between Gallagher and Bellingham. What about the family top three? It's currently 10-9 to the boring Bellingham's, as we know, always. And I fielded my sister in third place went for Fernando Alonzo, which sadly did not finish. My mum went for Oscar Piastri. No. In second position, again, screwed over by the VSC,

my sister went for Max Verstappen. And my mum went for Lando Norris. And in first position, my sister, to be fair, she got two of three in the top three, correct. Shaul-la-Cla, she went for P-1. He was close 30 seconds behind, but still close because he finished P2

so no points sadly. Landed disqualification she could be getting two points there. Yeah. And my mum went for Max just happened. So incorrect. So no points for any of them so it stays 10-9.

Okay, there you go. Wow, that is incredible work. Enjoyed speaking about all of those different incidents. I'm sure you'll all have your own opinions on what happened with your favourite driver and how we have agendas against them. but we look forward to reading all of that but I honestly am loving Formula One now

it's been it's needed an injection of just just chaos just a bit of I don't know Mexico was like you know what guys we need a little bit of something they did it of course Lando wins but the whole picture of the championship is so beautifully poised still would love it if Max was just within a race win to make things

I know just a few more points but we've still got four races to go my guy if he wins in Brazil let's just say wins in Brazil second place Lando 36 becomes 29 all of a sudden

Tommy is getting two letters of the tattoo 29 is that enough I don't know no no it's not enough you need to be ahead but it's still

he's still in reach yeah he's still in reach whereas Shaula was out of contention two races ago so George Ross is still in they which actually

he should have argued on the radio and said I'm the one going for the championship here oh my God that would have been

so fun funniest radio ever. That would have been the greatest team. People like, I've seen that meme about everyone DNFing. That's been so good. Right. Thank you everybody for tuning into the podcast. Remember P1 Live Delusion Tour tickets still available.

We are going there next week. So if you're free, come along. We'd love to see you there. And Tommy, what are your final thoughts? Final thoughts are good job, Mexico. Very good job, Mexico. Just well done. Well done.

Not Baku. Same again next year, please. Yes, please, with the new cars God, what are they going to be like? I cannot wait to see. Well, they'd be cutting out down the mainstream. That, yeah, might have to get out and push it. Right, thank you everybody.

We'll see you soon. Lots of love. Driver ratings coming soon. Week off, then Brazil. Brazil. Brazil's coming. Come on! Bye!

I can say bye, Tommy. You're waving, but what about audio? Say bye. Bye. Thank you. Well done. P1 is a Stack production and part of the ACAST creator network.