Piastri Trails Norris in Mexico GP Qualifying, Championship Lead at Risk

Oscar Piastri, the current Formula One championship leader, experienced an unexpected performance drop in qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix, placing seventh on the grid behind his teammate Lando Norris, who secured pole position. Piastri expressed frustration and described the significant gap in lap times as a "mystery," noting that his driving style had not changed despite the drop in pace. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella attributed the gap partly to the low-grip track conditions in Mexico and Austin, which favor Norris's driving style that better manages sliding, while Piastri's approach relies more on grip. This qualifying result represents Piastri's largest deficit to Norris this season and is his worst qualifying position when he completed the session. If both drivers finish in their starting positions at the Mexican Grand Prix, Norris will take the championship lead with four races remaining. Despite the setback, Piastri remains optimistic about race prospects and is focused on unlocking the car's pace to continue his championship campaign.