F1 Mexico GP live: Race stream and updates with Norris on pole ahead of Verstappen and Piastri – UK Times

On not driving at Mexico GP: “It’s being out of the paddock, it feels strange. I will be watching the race on Sunday from my sofa.”

On return: “It took me a while, a good six months, to realise I wanted to come back and finish my career properly. I needed the right project.”

Piastri’s lead is 14 points over Norris and now only 40 over Verstappen:

1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 346 points

2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 332 points

3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 306 points

4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 252 points

5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 192 points

6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 142 points

7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 89 points

8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 73 points

9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) – 41 points

10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 39 points

“The pressure is high. It is a time where you have to put your blinkers up and block everything from the outside. There is so much coming in, positive and negative,” Ferrari driver Hamilton told Sky Sports.

“Also, you really have to be cut-throat and that is what Max is. He is going to take this from them if they don’t do the same.

“They have got to be pushing and you have to dig deep firstly to be able to hold off someone like Max in the car that he is in at the moment.

“But for either of them to come out ahead, consistency is key and we have seen that from Max in the last few races.”

1. McLaren – 678 points (champions)

6. Racing Bulls – 72 points

7. Aston Martin – 69 points

“I just want to try and win races until the end of the season. We had a good run and we also know as a team that it needs to be perfect to have a chance. So, if it works, then great, unbelievable comeback.

“Of course, I’ve won championships very late, very early. Now, this one, of course, is very different because I think for most of the season it was a lot harder for us.

“To be able to still be in this fight is very surprising but I take it. For me, it’s just positive pressure. I’m loving what I’m doing. If the car is competitive, it’s much better to be racing in it than when it’s not.”

1) Lando Norris – McLaren

2) Charles Leclerc – Ferrari

3) Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari

4) George Russell – Mercedes

5) Max Verstappen – Red Bull

6) Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes

7) Oscar Piastri – McLaren

8) Isack Hadjar – Racing Bulls

10) Yuki Tsunoda – Red Bull

12) Carlos Sainz – Williams*

13) Nico Hulkenberg – Sauber

14) Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin

15) Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls

16) Gabriel Bortoleto – Sauber

17) Alex Albon – Williams

18) Pierre Gasly – Alpine

19) Lance Stroll – Aston Martin

20) Franco Colapinto – Alpine

*Sainz has a five-place grid penalty after being penalised for a collision with Antonelli at the last race in Austin

“Need to try and pass a few cars, try and unlock some pace – it’s been a tricky one.”