Messy Ferrari struggles on a special weekend for Italy: Mexico City GP driver ratings
No matter where you are in the world—whether it’s the USA, Mexico, or elsewhere—another Grand Prix weekend often means another missed chance for Ferrari to win. As team boss Frederic Vasseur said, Ferrari was running 1-2 going into Turn 4, yet somehow they lost the race.
Let’s take a look at the winners and losers from Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
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1: Max Verstappen – 10/10
Verstappen has a unique way of mixing aggressive driving with smart tactics, often grabbing wins when others slip up. Mexico was no different, especially as Ferrari got in their own way. “They’re two Number 1 drivers,” he said. “Today it cost them the win.” He also showed some humor, but had a bit of a meltdown when clashing with Liam Lawson in practice. Luckily, these ratings focus on Sundays only—unless noted.
2: Lewis Hamilton – 9/10
Talking about meltdowns, Hamilton did a great job keeping control despite his anger at Leclerc’s risky attempt to take the lead, which nearly ruined both their races. “We’ve got big problems,” he told his team on the radio. He wasn’t wrong.
3: Kimi Antonelli – 10/10
The standout driver of 2026, Antonelli’s performance in Mexico City summed up his season perfectly. While others like Leclerc and Russell got into trouble and fell back, Antonelli stayed calm and clean, sneaking almost all the way up to third place.
4: Charles Leclerc – 6/10
No one’s saying Leclerc shouldn’t try to win, but his attempt to overtake Hamilton on the first lap didn’t help anyone. A flat spot on his tire during a restart made things worse, dropping him to fourth. He earns an extra point for holding off Lando Norris at the end despite a badly worn left-front tire.
5: Lando Norris – 7/10
Norris did well to limit damage on a track the McLaren didn’t seem to favor. He loses a point for not being able to pass Leclerc at the end.
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6: George Russell – 5/10
If Antonelli’s race summed up his season well, this one did the same for Russell. He lost power at the start due to technical problems and wasn’t strong in the race afterward. A collision with Isack Hadjar and a 10-second penalty didn’t help. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted the team let Russell down again on reliability.
7: Oscar Piastri – 7/10
Piastri rose impressively from 13th to 7th but ended up colliding with Arvid Lindblad late in the race. Like Leclerc, he hung on at the end with a damaged car.
8: Franco Colapinto – 8/10
The outspoken Argentinian scored his first points in five races, helping Alpine in the fight with Racing Bulls for fifth in the team standings.
9: Liam Lawson – 9/10
Lawson scored points again despite starting at the back. It’s hard to believe this Kiwi’s seat could be under threat after such a strong season—but that’s how F1 goes.
10: Pierre Gasly – 7/10
Another solid points finish for Alpine’s reliable driver.
11: Gabriel Bortoleto – 7/10
He gained a few places thanks to the chaos but had an otherwise quiet weekend.
12: Isack Hadjar – 5/10
Hadjar showed good speed but couldn’t avoid trouble, including the clash with Russell early on.
13: Ryo Hirakawa – 9/10
Caught up in the chaos after Esteban Ocon’s sudden exit, Hirakawa still managed a very impressive 13th place finish, better than many others.
14: Alexander Albon – 7/10
Fought hard once again in a tough Williams car.
15: Carlos Sainz – 7/10
Finished just behind Albon in what’s been a tough year-long battle for both.
16: Nico Hulkenberg – 4/10
Received a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with Ollie Bearman during a restart.
17: Sergio Perez – 7/10
Pushed his car through the midfield well but was held back by a penalty.
18: Arvid Lindblad – 7/10
Drove brilliantly up to seventh place until his clash with Piastri ended his race.
19: Oliver Bearman – 6/10
Was competing well in the midfield for Haas until Hulkenberg took him out.
20: Valtteri Bottas – 2/10
Just when you thought his season couldn’t get worse, suspension failure caused a serious crash at Turn 1. Thankfully, he’s fine.
21: Lance Stroll – 0/10
Didn’t even manage a lap before his car broke down.
22: Fernando Alonso – 1/10
Had a similar fate to Stroll but scores a point for his sharp, honest interview after another power unit failure in qualifying.