Method 1 is again once more this weekend with the extremely well-liked Mexico Grand Prix, which comes simply seven days after Kimi Antonelli romped to victory in Austin.
That was the Mercedes driver’s ninth win of the 2026 season after dominating from pole in a race largely outlined by technique with Antonelli nailing a one-stopper.
He was joined on the rostrum by two-stopping duo Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen at spherical 18 of the season.
As issues stand, there are actually simply 5 left, so it is extremely a lot the enterprise finish of the season, the place two titles may very well be clinched on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
So listed below are 5 issues to look out for.
Antonelli successfully there
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Picture by: Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
There’s most likely extra probability of Pastor Maldonado making an F1 return than there may be Antonelli not turning into world champion this weekend. The 20-year-old sensation has obliterated the competitors, holding a respective 123 and 124-point benefit over the past remaining title contenders in George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
That is with 125 factors left obtainable within the 2026 marketing campaign – offered the Center Japanese rounds go forward – so all of the Mercedes driver must do is end ninth or larger to clinch his maiden crown. Fairly frankly, there’s a superb probability he’d declare the crown in Mexico even by ending exterior of the factors as a result of it will require both Russell or Hamilton successful the race which, primarily based on present type, is sort of unlikely.
So this needs to be the weekend that Antonelli enjoys his coronation, and what a deserving second it is going to be. From spherical two in China he has been a reduce above, taking 9 wins, 15 podiums and 7 poles whereas by no means actually placing a foot unsuitable within the W17 regardless of struggles being ever-present on Russell’s aspect of the storage.
Antonelli will turn out to be F1’s youngest world champion by three years – taking the report from Sebastian Vettel in 2010 – and there’s no doubt that extra crowns will comply with.
– Ed Hardy
What in regards to the constructors’ title?
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Picture by: James Sutton / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
Antonelli is about to offer Mercedes its first drivers’ title since Hamilton took a record-equalling seventh crown within the 2020 season. The Silver Arrows’ look ahead to a constructors’ championship is a bit of shorter, nonetheless, as its final got here in 2021 earlier than 4 years of battle within the ground-effect period.
However, as anticipated, Mercedes mastered the 2026 regulation swap thanks largely to its extremely environment friendly energy unit and it got here out of the blocks quick by successful the opening six grands prix from pole. Different groups – Ferrari, McLaren and Crimson Bull – subsequently closed the hole by becoming upgrades and taking wins of their very own, however not sufficient to actually problem Mercedes’ constant superiority over the competitors.
So heading into Mexico, it holds a 133-point benefit over second-placed Ferrari with 215 left obtainable – a complete that may scale back to 172 after this weekend. That does due to this fact make it doable for the German marque to take its ninth constructors’ title in Mexico – given there are 43 factors on supply – however that’s unlikely to occur.
To take action, it should outscore Ferrari by 39 factors, which entails both ending first and second or, at worst, first and third. If Mercedes takes a 1-2, then it’ll require the Italian marque scoring not more than 4 factors whereas for the latter, Ferrari can’t take a return of greater than two for the title to be determined in Mexico Metropolis.
So the almost definitely state of affairs is Mercedes successful the championship subsequent weekend at Interlagos.
– Ed Hardy
Will Crimson Bull’s two largest points persist?
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing
Picture by: Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
Throughout current days, Motorsport.com’s Ronald Vording has been sizzling on the case, reporting on two points which are nonetheless plaguing Crimson Bull amid its late-season resurgence. Poor race begins and technical issues on radio.
Beginning with the previous, that is one thing that has price Crimson Bull all through 2026 and has up to now culminated in Isack Hadjar claiming in Austin that the staff wants to revamp its clutch. It got here after each he and team-mate Max Verstappen respectively dropped two and one place at lights out.
As for the latter, this drawback emerged in Singapore with Verstappen, who was additionally affected at COTA as was Hadjar for the primary time this yr. So, the best way issues are going, anticipate additional inquiries to Crimson Bull surrounding these two points, particularly because the race-start drawback is extremely sophisticated and prone to proceed into 2027 in accordance with staff boss Laurent Mekies.
As a result of exterior of that, the ambiance is basically constructive on the Austrian outfit because it has now overtaken McLaren for third within the championship with Verstappen on a podium streak of six grands prix – together with two victories.
Victory wasn’t seemingly in Austin given the tempo of Verstappen on the softs in comparison with the laborious runners, however the truth that he was nonetheless capable of end on the rostrum amid troubles, reveals how a lot the staff has progressed from the beginning of 2026, when it was firmly fourth-best.
– Ed Hardy
Will Ferrari end the job in Mexico after falling quick in Austin?
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Picture by: James Sutton / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
Ferrari has completed on the rostrum at three consecutive grands prix and outscored each different staff throughout the previous two. The draw back? Its winless run now stretches to 9 races. It seemed on target to finish that drought in Austin, solely to fall quick.
Fred Vasseur’s evaluation on Sunday at COTA was that Ferrari had obtained all the pieces proper besides its Q3 laps. These pricey Saturday shortcomings left Leclerc and Hamilton additional down the grid and compelled them to go on the assault within the race.
Leclerc nonetheless got here away with second, and Ferrari left Austin inspired, with additional proof that the SF-26’s competitiveness is not depending on circuit traits. Ferrari’s heritage calls for greater than podium finishes, nonetheless.Â
Will Mexico present the stage for its third victory of 2026?
At greater than 2,200Â metres above sea degree, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez presents a really explicit problem. However Vasseur is assured the package deal is working, with the distinction between successful and falling quick on any given weekend coming right down to the fantastic margins of the tyre working window and set-up. A Ferrari victory in Mexico on Sunday is definitely not out of the query.
– Federico Faturos
Sergio Pérez’s 300 races and what they honestly imply
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
Surpassing the 300-race milestone in Method 1 is an achievement reserved for a really unique group, and this Sunday Sergio Perez will be part of legends like Fernando Alonso, Rubens Barrichello, Jenson Button, and Michael Schumacher.
Nonetheless, this determine carries a deeper significance that maybe solely Mexicans and Latin Individuals totally grasp, however that the world must know. Reaching 300 Grands Prix means 300 events during which ‘Checo’ shattered the “pay driver” stigma – that delusion attributing his arrival on the Pinnacle of racing solely to the backing of his sponsors.
300 races later, the Guadalajara native boasts a runner-up end on the planet drivers’ title, the report as probably the most profitable Mexican driver in F1 historical past, and a comeback with Cadillac that pressured lots of his detractors to confess their mistake following his bitter exit from Crimson Bull on the finish of 2024.
The backdrop for this celebration will not be preferrred. Lengthy gone are the times when he fought for podiums on the Autodromo Hermanos RodrÃguez. In 2026, merely crossing the end line with Cadillac will characterize the largest victory of the weekend in itself.
Even so, when Perez takes the beginning in his three hundredth race, he will not simply depart his mark by numbers on the grid. His true legacy lies in having been the driving power behind Method 1’s return to Mexico and in paving the best way for brand spanking new generations to pursue their very own desires, guided by the motto ‘Checo’ has engraved on his helmet: “By no means hand over.”
– Luis Ramirez
We would like your opinion!
What would you prefer to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
– The Motorsport.com Group