Beijing, Oct 27 (NationPress) Lando Norris achieved a remarkable wire-to-wire victory at the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, reclaiming the championship lead from his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri with only four races remaining in the season.

After starting from pole position, having showcased his speed during Saturday's qualifying session, Norris expertly navigated the opening lap to establish a significant lead, ultimately finishing about 30 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

In the race’s closing laps, Max Verstappen of Red Bull pursued Leclerc and seemed poised to make a move on the final lap; however, a Virtual Safety Car was deployed to address a stranded Carlos Sainz in his Williams, preventing any overtaking maneuvers, as reported by Xinhua.

Piastri faced a challenging race, finishing fifth after a disappointing qualifying effort that placed him seventh on the grid. His struggles deepened when he fell to 11th on the first lap due to an incident in the midfield.

In fourth place was Ollie Bearman, marking his best-ever finish in a Haas. Starting ninth, Bearman climbed to third as competitors faltered in the early stages and maintained his position against faster cars throughout the race.

Piastri's teammate, Kimi Antonelli, alongside George Russell in the Mercedes, followed closely behind, with Russell expressing frustration at being unable to overtake Antonelli while trying to close in on Bearman.

Lewis Hamilton, who had initially been in a strong third position, slipped to eighth after receiving a ten-second penalty for gaining an advantage by going off track. He voiced his frustration over team radio, highlighting perceived inconsistencies in officiating.

Esteban Ocon, Bearman's teammate, finished ninth, contributing to a commendable day for Haas, while Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the top ten for Sauber.

This victory marks Norris' sixth of the season and his first since the Hungarian Grand Prix six races ago. After trailing Piastri by 34 points following the Dutch Grand Prix, Norris now leads the standings by a single point, while Verstappen sits 35 points behind.

Piastri appeared puzzled by his slower pace compared to Norris throughout the weekend, raising concerns about his recent performance, which has seen him secure only one podium finish since his victory in the Dutch Grand Prix.

While McLaren has already secured the Constructors' Championship, the battle for second place remains fiercely contested, with Leclerc's second-place finish elevating Ferrari to 356 points, just ahead of Mercedes, while Red Bull trails by nine points.

The next race, the 21st round of the 2025 F1 season, will take place at the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo on November 9.