Formula 1 heads back to Mexico City this weekend, for the highest altitude race on the calendar. With five races left in the 2025 season, the Constructors Championship winner is all locked up, but there is plenty of intrigue around the Drivers Championship, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris battling with Max Verstappen for the championship.

Here’s what to watch for as in the race that begins at 2pm in Mexico City, 8pm in London, 9pm in Monaco, 4am in Singapore, and 9am in Auckland.

Drivers’ Championship on the line

What looked initially to be a two-horse race between the two McLarens has turned into a three horse battle, with Verstappen joining the fray. The Red Bull Racing driver has finished second, first, first, second, and first in his last five races and has rocketed up the leaderboard.

Just fourty points separates him from Piastri in first, but his DNF in Azerbaijan combined with just two podiums in his last five races has allowed Verstappen to force his way back into the race.

Norris looked to be the frontrunner for most of the season, finishing on the podium in eight of the first nine races, but two DNFs and a brutal seventh place finish in Azerbaijan has dropped him into second.

Frankly, this is McLaren’s championship to lose, but how the two drivers compete is going to be the key to watch. Norris has been very vocal about his feelings towards Piastri, and while McLaren has denied any repercussions to Norris, it will be interesting how this plays out on track. Piastri has been following Papaya Rules, putting the team first, while Norris has been playing fast-and-loose with those. This is going to be a story to watch.

McLaren has not won in Mexico City since Ayrton Senna did in back in 1989 when they were still McLaren-Honda. Since the race came back to Hermanos Rodrigues in 2015, Max Verstappen has won it five times, including three of the last four years. Last year’s race was won by Ferrari, with Verstappen getting not one but two 10-second penalties for leaving the track to gain an advantage. This pushed him down to sixth.

The impact of altitude on the Mexico City Grand Prix

Mexico City is by far the highest altitude race on the F1 circuit, with the race happening 2240 metres above sea level. After coming from COTA, with an altitude of just 41 metres, this is a big adjustment for both the drivers and race strategy.

For the cars, the higher altitude reduces the amount of downforce because there is less air density. There are simply fewer air particules to push down on the car at that altitude. This makes corners especially dangerous for the cars, and will make overtaking especially fun to watch.

On top of that, because of the lower air density, there is less resistance on the car. That means the straight sections are going to be even faster. The highest ever recorded speed in Formula 1 was in 2016 when Valterri Bottas his 372.5 km/h in 2016 for Williams.

Interestingly though, the DRS will be less effective in Mexico City than in other races as the rear wing isn’t generating as much drag.

The reduced air density also impacts car cooling, with cars more prone to overheating here than elsewhere. Teams will need to open up their bodywork more than elsewhere to allow more air to cool the brakes and tyres. The engine also will be working harder to account for the altitude, and will also need to be cooled throughout the race.

On the human side, operating at a higher altitude is hard if not acclimated properly. REM sleep is harder to achieve initially, and the lower amount of oxygen can cause fatigue and less-good decision making skills for drivers. For drivers, this is a massive risk, as they need to remain sharp through each turn in each lap all the way through the race.

Is Kick Sauber making a move in advance of 2026?

Don’t look now, but Kick Sauber has been taking massive strides in the back-half of the season. Nico Hulkenberg finished fourth in sprint qualifying, and were it not for the craziness that happened in turn one, he likely would have finished in the points.

Both Saubers also had some of the best lap times at COTA last weekend, with Gabriel Bortoleto with the sixth fastest time and Hulkenberg with the ninth fastest time.

Even in Singapore, in which both drivers picked up damage to their vehicles, Hulkenberg finished with the fifth fastest lap time in the race.

The team may have just the one podium, when Hulkenberg finished third at Silverstone, the team has been moving the right direction of late. Something is quietly working really well for Jonathan Wheatly and company.

While they aren’t expected to podium in Mexico City, with good finishes and some luck, they could push up the standings before they become Audi next season.

Nine new drivers in for FP1

As part of the rules, every driver must allow a rookie driver to take their seat for FP1, and it seems that most drivers have chosen this weekend to do so. Nine new drivers are set to take on the grid this weekend, with some auditioning for future roles, while others here for a good time not a long time. Let’s look at the former:

Paul Aron

The Estonian former F2 driver will take Pierre Gasly’s car in FP1 with something to prove. A candidate for the open Alpine seat next year, Aron will be competing with Franco Colapinto for a full-time job next year. How he does in this hour could be a difference-maker for the 21-year-old’s future.

Jak Crawford

The American will take Lance Stroll’s car for a ride in FP1, after spending this season racing in Formula 2. Crawford currently sits second in F2, and won Silverstone earlier in the calendar for Dams Lucas Oil. The 20-year-old isn’t likely to earn an F1 job in 2026, but could get a spot as a reserve driver.

Luke Browning

Taking over for Carlos Sainz in FP1 is Luke Browning, who sits third in F2 for Hitech TGR. This is just his first full season in F2, and the British youngster has been excellent, including winning the last race at Monza. He also likely needs a little more seasoning before earning a spot in F1 full-time, but this hour will show what he can do.

It’s nearly race day

We’re just days away from the Mexico City Grand Prix. The weather should be clear, but the drama on and off the track will undoubtedly be stormy. There will be tons to watch for in the forecast- get ready for a great race weekend.