2025 Mexico GP Qualifying Preview

Now, it is time for James Punt’s 2025 Mexico GP qualifying preview. He has already posted his outright preview and tips, click here to see them.

2025 Mexico GP Qualifying

It was a strange first day of practice. Red Bull turned up with an upgraded floor and Verstappen was quickest in FP2, having sat out FP1. Yuki Tsunoda was 8th and 7th which suggests the car is going well. Verstappen was not happy with the car’s race pace but he was just edging it over one lap.

Red Bull are masters of improving their cars from Friday to Saturday, but in FP3 Red Bull dropped down the order. Just 6th for Verstappen and 0.609s off the pace. He was complaining of a lack of grip and I wonder if this isn’t a rare case of Red Bull making a misstep in terms of set up. Chasing race pace and losing one lap pace.

Norris Edging Piastri

The two McLaren drivers were not happy with the balance of the car and were lacking one lap pace, but their long run pace was very strong. Like Red Bull they needed to work on the car in time for FP3 and qualifying. Norris looked to have the edge over Piastri on day one, and that continued into FP3.

It was all very close in the first 40 minutes of FP3, and then Norris made a small suspension change, put on the soft tyres and bang, he went way faster than anyone else. This is a short lap, the third shortest on the calendar, so to be 0.345s faster to the second fastest driver is a big deal. Norris ended the session 0.609s ahead of Verstappen and 0.599s ahead of Piastri.

Ferrari Happy

Charles Leclerc was fastest in FP1 and second in FP2, but he was quick to say that he didn’t have the one lap pace of Verstappen, or the long run pace of the McLaren. Both Ferrari drivers were happy enough and surprised that they are so close to the Red Bull and McLaren. It was Hamilton who was closest to Norris in FP3, but still 0.345 behind.

Antonelli was 2nd and 3rd in the two practice sessions on Friday and the Mercedes would seem to be right up there with Ferrari, but a little off the Red Bull and McLaren. Russell was complaining of lacking grip on the mediums but ended up in 3rd place but just over 0.5s off Norris.

Norris In Charge

All in all, it has been a very good display by Norris so far.

It was looking so close and on a very short lap, I was pencilling in a qualifying winning margin bet of under 0.1 seconds, but Norris has screwed with my head.

Recent qualifying session have seen Max getting three poles and second place. Only George Russell broke his run by getting pole in Singapore. The McLarens have had a couple of front rows with Norris, but it really has been the Max Verstappen show for the last four qualifying sessions.

Qualifying in Mexico City has been unpredictable in the past. Since its return to the calendar in 2015, we have had nine qualifying sessions and eight different fastest qualifiers. No driver has really got the hang of it. Norris would be the ninth different fastest qualifier in ten years, so he fits the no pattern, pattern.

2025 Mexico GP qualifying Tip: 1 point Lando Norris to be the fastest qualifier @ 2.25 with Livescorebet

Ferrari have had pole position here for the last two years and they have been competitive so far this weekend. Charles Leclerc has finished the three sessions 1st, 2nd and 4th. Hamilton was second fastest in FP3. It is Leclerc who is Ferrari’s best qualifier in 2025. He got pole position in Hungary and is 14-5 against Hamilton. He looks worth a bet to make the top three in qualifying.

2025 Mexico GP qualifying Tip: 1 point Charles Leclerc to finish in the top 3 in qualifying @ 2.87 with Ladbrokes

-JamesPunt