Mexico City Grand Prix 2026: McLaren pace concern

Lando Norris starts sixth for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, while reports from Mexico suggest McLaren expect limited overtaking and mixed pace signs.

Lando Norris heads into the Mexico City Grand Prix from sixth on the grid after failing to repeat the lap that put him fastest in Q2, as reported by Formula1.com. Norris arrived at the weekend sixth in the 2026 drivers' championship on 211 points, and the McLaren driver has 11 wins and 16 poles from 161 Grands Prix.

There were more mixed signs on the other side of the garage. Motorsport.com reported that Oscar Piastri felt McLaren had coped with Mexico City's altitude better than he expected in practice, although he described his qualifying simulation as messy. Piastri came to Mexico City seventh in the standings on 144 points and has made 79 Formula 1 starts for McLaren.

RaceFans reported that both McLaren drivers expected overtaking to be difficult in the Grand Prix because of the characteristics of the 2026 power units. That leaves McLaren facing a weekend in which grid position may carry extra weight, even if practice suggested the car handled the circuit conditions more cleanly than expected.