Mexican Grand Prix: Pre-race comments

      McLaren Formula 1 Team

      Lando Norris: "I'm very excited about the trip to Mexico City. I like the city, and the circuit is interesting to drive. There are a lot of fans in the city who love Formula 1, so I'm looking forward to feeling their energy.

      After finishing on the podium in Austin I want to build on that result and fight for more points this weekend."

      Oscar Piastri: "A new race weekend straight after Austin gives a great opportunity to get back in the car and work with the team to maximise our pace. I'm confident we'll have a productive weekend.

      I'm looking forward to the upcoming round and focused on giving my all in Mexico City."

      Pato O'Ward: "It's always nice to come home. The atmosphere and fan support in Mexico City are always amazing.

      I'm looking forward to getting back on track with the team to help with car setup and gather data. Thanks to Zak Brown and Andrea Stella for this opportunity. I can't wait to get back behind the wheel!"

      Andrea Stella, team principal: "After an intense weekend in the US we are looking forward to the second half of this double-header. The unique nature of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, with its technical and high-speed sections, lends itself to interesting racing. Also, the high altitude of Mexico City creates additional challenges for the teams.

      We are pleased to have Pato O'Ward back behind the wheel of the MCL39 in first practice. He will replace Lando and help the team with setup work at the start of an exciting new weekend.

      Everyone in the team enjoys racing in front of such passionate fans, so we hope to give them a great race."

      Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team

      Toto Wolff: "There are five races left in the season and only ten points separate second and fourth in the Constructors' Championship. We had a poor weekend in Austin and our rivals got the better of us. But the team has a chance to make up ground this weekend in Mexico City. The fight will be intense right up to the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi, and we like that.

      Mexico presents unique challenges. The high altitude places serious demands on the brakes and the power unit, and the thin air means the car needs to be set up for high downforce.

      Our reserve driver Frederik Vesti will sit in the car in first practice, completing his maiden double appearance in free practice this year. He will contribute to our programme, as he always does when he gets behind the wheel.

      The battle is very close, but we hope to be stronger than we were a few days ago in Texas."

      Scuderia Ferrari

      Frederic Vasseur, team principal: "In Austin, thanks to the team's coordinated work and the support from staff at the factory, we had one of our most successful weekends of the season. It is important to maintain that high level of focus and determination in the final part of the season.

      In Mexico we will face very different tasks. One of the key features of this circuit is the high altitude, which affects cooling, power unit performance, aerodynamics and tyre behaviour. The key will be finding the right balance between all these factors.

      Thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of the fans, the atmosphere in Mexico is always incredible."

      Red Bull Racing

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      Williams Racing

      Carlos Sainz: "The Mexican week has arrived on the calendar, and I always enjoy racing at this circuit where the spectators charge you with energy.

      It's a shame I start the weekend with a five-place grid penalty, but we know the car is quick and we hope that will allow us to fight back. The team is progressing, and I'm looking forward to the race!"

      Alex Albon: "I'm looking forward to the trip to Mexico City and hope to finish this two-race stretch with a good result.

      The Mexico circuit is different from the others mainly because of the high altitude, and the stadium section is one of the best on the F1 calendar. Our job is to avoid mistakes, execute cleanly, minimise risks and do our job well."

      Racing Bulls

      Izak Hadjar: "I'm looking forward to getting back on track in Mexico City this week. Our weekend in Austin didn't go the best way as we couldn't find the pace we expected.

      The team needs to return to its usual form, make it to the final part of qualifying and fight for points on Sunday. I know we can do it.

      I made my Formula 1 debut in Mexico in first practice in 2023. I know the circuit and can't wait to return, as it brings back many fond memories."

      Liam Lawson: "Great to be back in Mexico City. It's a unique race and the high altitude makes the car tricky to drive. The thin air allows us to reach high top speeds, but the reduced grip makes the cars slide in the corners.

      The atmosphere at the circuit is always fantastic, and I can't wait to be part of the race weekend alongside all the fans."

      Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

      Interview: Jack Crawford

      Sauber

      Nico Hülkenberg: "It was great to score points in Austin and I'm heading to Mexico City in good spirits this week. We face a special race at an old-school circuit that's fun to drive and attracts passionate fans in the grandstands.

      After a strong result last weekend, our aim is to consolidate that success. The high altitude will be a challenge and will influence the car's behaviour, but we remain focused and will do everything we can to have a strong weekend."

      Gabriele Minì: "I'm looking forward to the Mexico City round this weekend. I've heard so much about the atmosphere and the energy of the local fans that I want to experience it myself. The circuit also has a rich history, and although the final sector has changed considerably, some of the greatest F1 drivers have still raced here over the years.

      I want to put the difficult weekend in Austin behind me and focus on steady progress. Nico scored points and showed what our car is capable of, and I'm determined to return to that level.

      I will have three practice sessions this weekend, so I'll be able to learn the track and make progress session by session. I want to use my time on track as effectively as possible and put in a strong performance."

      Haas F1 Team

      Ayao Komatsu, team principal: "The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is truly a unique circuit. It sits at the highest altitude of the season, which means that a high-downforce aero package in reality generates less downforce, and there are significant cooling challenges on top of that.

      Evaluating the VF-25's high-downforce package, and given that we're largely doing the right things, I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be able to fight for points.

      I'm not fixated on the result itself — whatever it will be, it will be — but we need to focus on the process, on what exactly we're doing and the approach we are taking."

      Oliver Bearman: "I'm happy to be back in Mexico City. This is my third time at this circuit — the previous two years I took part in first practice. I like the city in general — it's fun and unique.

      The high altitude presents extra challenges, primarily for the drivers, because with less oxygen in the air the race becomes physically demanding.

      As for the car, it generates less downforce and the brakes work almost at their limit compared with races at normal circuits. I'm glad I will finally get to race here after taking part in several practice sessions."

      Esteban Ocon: "I'm looking forward to returning to Mexico this weekend. It's a great country with wonderful people, and the atmosphere in the city and at the track is unique — the passion of Mexican fans is felt from the first second.

      I like the 'Stadium' section best. It's always great to go through it, and before the race it charges all the drivers with its energy.

      The Mexican circuit is special also because the car handles differently at high altitude, so all teams pay attention to that.

      For me, recent weekends haven't gone very smoothly and luck hasn't always been on my side. We'll try to have a clean weekend, extract the maximum from the car and fight for a strong result in Mexico."

      BWT Alpine F1 Team

      Franco Colapinto: "The weekend in Austin was tough and I had serious problems with the car. With only one practice session, difficult conditions and the inability to find the right balance, it turned into a hard weekend for me.

      We need to understand why we have so many issues with the car. The team is working on solving them for the future, although we understand that with the current car we face a difficult end to the season.

      As for the team situation on Sunday, we discussed what happened internally. It's clear that team instructions must always be followed, no matter what. We are all working together towards the common goal — to progress in every session and at every race weekend.

      Now I'm looking forward to the Mexico City round, where the atmosphere is always amazing. It's great to receive so much support for the upcoming weekend, although the high altitude will create extra challenges. But I'm glad to be back on track in front of such an incredible crowd."

      Pierre Gasly: "We've analysed a lot after Austin. In the second half of the race our pace was far from the car's true potential because I got stuck in traffic after an unfortunate pit stop, which we will discuss with the team.

      Up to that moment I thought we had good potential, especially after a strong qualifying and competitive pace in the sprint. On Sunday evening after the race we immediately started debriefing the weekend. I know a lot of work has already been done to prepare for the race in Mexico City.

      As planned, I will give the car to Paul Aron in first practice. I'll try to get up to speed quickly in the second session and adapt to a circuit that is very different from COTA and has a number of unique features."

      Paul Aron: "I'm looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the A525 in my next practice with the team. I enjoyed the experience in practice in Monza because it was very useful for my development and understanding of the car. I'm ready to build on that experience this weekend in Mexico City driving Pierre's car.

      The circuit is very different from any I've raced on. Because of the high altitude the car's behaviour and setup differ greatly from other tracks, but I'm ready for the challenge.

      I'm grateful to the team for the opportunity and will do everything I can to help deliver a competitive weekend."