Lando Norris of McLaren claimed pole position in the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix qualifying with a record lap of 1:15.586 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The event saw a historic Saturday attendance of 146,132, surpassing the previous record. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton filled the front-row spots, as Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen encountered challenges.
On Saturday, October 25, 2025, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez hosted the qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix, where Lando Norris set a new lap record of 1:15.586 to secure pole position. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari will start second, followed by teammate Lewis Hamilton in third, drawing enthusiastic cheers from Mexican fans known for their support of Scuderia drivers.
The session was tense, with Norris expressing surprise: “I’m happy to be back on pole. The last one was a while ago, so I feel good”. Hamilton, interrupted by crowd roars, thanked: “I’m very, very happy. Thank you all (...) It’s an incredible feeling to be in the top 3 of qualifying. The team deserves it”.
Challenges arose for championship leaders, however. Current points leader Oscar Piastri qualified seventh and was puzzled: “The lack of performance is a mystery (...) Everything looks normal, but the time difference has been big”. Max Verstappen of Red Bull will start fifth and admitted issues: “There’s no grip, the car doesn’t turn, I have no traction, it slides and I don’t know what’s happening”.
The event broke attendance records with 146,132 spectators, topping 2024’s 142,951. In contrast, Friday drew 101,327, fewer than the 107,865 from last year, as noted by Pato O’Ward: “I saw the Foro Sol very empty compared to what I’m used to. Nothing like when Checo was here full-time”.
The race on Sunday, October 26, starts at 14:00 with 71 laps, setting up a tight championship battle.