Formula One: Piastri loses lead as Norris wins in Mexico

Australian driver Oscar Piastri has lost his lead in the Formula One Drivers’ Championship after finishing fifth at the Mexican Grand Prix. Piastri’s McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, won the race after starting in pole position.

With four races to go, Norris now leads the Drivers’ Championship, one point ahead of Piastri. Here’s what to know.

What happened

Piastri started seventh on the grid after struggling in Qualifying on Saturday (local time). He dropped to 10th in the early stages of the race but managed to fight his way back to finish fifth.

Norris claimed his first podium in Mexico to mark his 10th career win and sixth victory this season. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second, followed by Red Bull’s defending world champion Max Verstappen.

Standings

Points are awarded to the top ten drivers in each race, with the most (25) awarded to the winner. Second-place receives 18 points, third-place receives 15, and so on. The 10th-place finisher receives one point.

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With his win in Mexico City, Norris now has 357 points. Piastri is trailing behind him by one point, on 356. It means Norris now leads the Drivers’ Championship for the first time since the Saudi Arabian GP in April.

Verstappen is in third place on 306 points while Mercedes’ George Russell (258) and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (210) round out the top five. McLaren has already won the Constructors’ Championship (F1's team trophy) for the second year in a row.

Verstappen’s consecutive podiums at the last six races have seen him emerge as a late challenger for the championship. If he defeats the McLaren drivers, it will be Verstappen’s fifth consecutive championship.

What’s next?

The next race will be the Brazilian GP in São Paulo on Monday 10 November (AEDT). That will be followed by races in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi to finish the season.

Additional points will be available in Brazil and Qatar, where the final sprint races of the year are scheduled. There are 116 points available over the final four races.