Leclerc Targets Hamilton's Championship Lead as Ferrari and ZYN Head to the Mexico City Grand Prix

Formula 1 heads to Mexico City this weekend, with Ferrari and ZYN holding a commanding advantage in the Snus Vikings Nicotine Pouch Formula 1 Championship. However, while the teams' competition is increasingly moving in Ferrari's favour, the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc for the individual title is becoming one of the most interesting stories of the closing stages of the season.

Leclerc's second-place finish at the United States Grand Prix reduced Hamilton's lead to just eight points, continuing a remarkable recovery by the Monegasque driver. With five Grand Prix remaining, the two Ferrari teammates are now separated by less than the points awarded for a fourth-place finish.

McLaren and VELO face a more difficult challenge. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collected just 16 points between them in Austin, allowing Ferrari to extend its teams' championship advantage to 119 points. Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas and 77 continue their search for a first point, although the team's return to Mexico carries particular significance for Bottas's teammate, Sergio Pérez.

Beyond our unofficial championship, Kimi Antonelli arrives with an excellent opportunity to become Formula 1's youngest World Champion, while Max Verstappen's recent resurgence threatens to complicate matters for both Ferrari and McLaren.

Austin Brings Leclerc Closer to Hamilton

The United States Grand Prix proved another successful weekend for Ferrari, with Leclerc securing his second consecutive runner-up finish behind the dominant Antonelli. Leclerc's performance was particularly impressive because he twice found himself battling Verstappen for position. Having overtaken the Red Bull driver at the start, he subsequently lost second place before recovering it during the closing stages, demonstrating both strong race pace and effective tyre management.

Hamilton also delivered a valuable result, recovering to fourth after passing Norris in the closing laps. Nevertheless, the six-point difference between the Ferrari drivers meant that Leclerc continued to reduce his teammate's championship advantage.

McLaren's afternoon was less encouraging. Norris's one-stop strategy briefly placed him second, but his ageing tyres left him vulnerable to drivers who had stopped twice. He eventually finished fifth, while Piastri struggled for pace and came home seventh.

Ferrari collected 30 points in Austin compared with McLaren's 16, extending ZYN's advantage over VELO from 105 to 119 points. It was the fourth consecutive Grand Prix weekend in which Ferrari had increased its lead, making the remaining races increasingly important for McLaren.

The Nicotine Pouch Championship Before Mexico City

With five Grands Prix remaining, Ferrari occupies the first two positions in our drivers' standings, while McLaren faces a substantial deficit in the teams' competition.

Drivers' Championship

Hamilton remains the leader, but his advantage over Leclerc has fallen from 23 points before Singapore to just eight following consecutive second-place finishes by his teammate. Norris is a further 22 points behind Leclerc, meaning the leading three drivers remain within reach of one another, although McLaren's recent performances have made Norris's challenge more difficult.

Leclerc could take the lead in Mexico if he finishes sufficiently far ahead of Hamilton. A victory would guarantee the change at the top if Hamilton finished third or lower, making the battle between the Ferrari drivers particularly significant.

Teams' Championship

Ferrari's 119-point advantage represents a remarkable improvement on the 52-point margin it held following the Spanish Grand Prix. Consistent performances from both Hamilton and Leclerc have strengthened its position, while McLaren's difficulties have prevented VELO from maintaining the momentum it established during the summer.

With five races remaining, McLaren still has opportunities to respond, but it will need both drivers regularly finishing ahead of Ferrari to make meaningful progress.

Mexico City's Altitude Presents a Different Challenge

The Mexican Grand Prix takes place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, a circuit that presents one of the most unusual technical challenges on the Formula 1 calendar. Situated approximately 2,200 metres above sea level, the track's thin air significantly reduces aerodynamic downforce and makes cooling the cars more difficult. Teams often use high-downforce configurations, but the reduced air density means the cars behave very differently from how they would at a lower-altitude circuit.

The 4.304-kilometre layout features a long main straight, heavy braking into the opening corners and a twisting final section that passes through the famous Foro Sol stadium. The combination creates opportunities for overtaking but also places considerable emphasis on straight-line performance, braking stability and traction.

The long run from the starting grid to Turn 1 can produce dramatic changes in position, particularly when drivers benefit from a slipstream. Managing the start will therefore be important for Ferrari and McLaren, especially if qualifying leaves their drivers close together.

The unusual conditions also make predicting the competitive order difficult. A car that performs exceptionally well at a conventional circuit may struggle with cooling or aerodynamic efficiency in Mexico, potentially creating opportunities for teams that have been less competitive elsewhere.

Ferrari and ZYN: Can Leclerc Take the Lead?

Ferrari arrives in Mexico with considerable confidence following its recent performances. Leclerc has finished second in consecutive Grands Prix, while Hamilton remains consistent enough to retain the lead in our championship despite his teammate's improving results.

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez has produced memorable performances from both drivers. Hamilton won the Mexican Grand Prix in 2016 and 2019, while Leclerc has previously demonstrated strong qualifying speed at the circuit, including pole position in 2023.

However, the unusual altitude could expose weaknesses in Ferrari's car. The team's straight-line performance has occasionally been less competitive than that of Mercedes and Red Bull, and Mexico's long main straight may make overtaking and defending particularly difficult.

For Hamilton, the immediate objective is to halt Leclerc's recent progress and protect his eight-point advantage. Another result behind his teammate could surrender the lead he has held for much of the season.

Leclerc, meanwhile, has an opportunity to complete a remarkable turnaround. Having trailed Hamilton by 23 points before Singapore, he could move ahead with another strong weekend. Ferrari will naturally want both drivers to maximise their results, but the increasingly close competition between them adds an intriguing dimension to the team's final races.

McLaren and VELO Need to Rediscover Their Summer Form

McLaren's challenge has become increasingly difficult following four consecutive weekends in which Ferrari has extended its advantage. Norris remains third in the individual standings with 211 points, but his fifth-place finish in Austin demonstrated the problems McLaren has experienced in converting promising race pace into strong results. Although the team's strategy briefly elevated him to second, he ultimately lacked the tyre performance to defend against Ferrari and Red Bull.

Piastri has endured an even more difficult period, with inconsistent performances leaving him fourth in our championship and substantially behind his teammate but Mexico City provides an opportunity to change that pattern, although the circuit's unusual characteristics could make McLaren's task complicated. Its slower corners and demanding traction zones may expose weaknesses in the car, while the long straight could make it difficult to defend against rivals with better straight-line efficiency.

McLaren will also lose some preparation time when Norris sits out the opening practice session as part of the team's required rookie-driver programme. Leonardo Fornaroli will take his place for FP1, making the remaining practice sessions particularly important for the British driver.

There is encouragement in the fact that Norris dominated the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix, demonstrating his ability to perform exceptionally well at this circuit. A repeat of that form would be particularly valuable for VELO, which urgently needs to begin reducing Ferrari's advantage.

Antonelli Could Become the Youngest World Champion

Although Antonelli does not participate in our selected Nicotine Pouch Championship, his position in the official Formula 1 standings will be one of the weekend's biggest stories. The Mercedes driver secured his ninth victory of the season in Austin and now needs only a top-nine finish in Mexico to guarantee his first World Championship. Even if he finishes outside the points, the title could still be decided depending on the results of George Russell and Hamilton.

At 20 years old, Antonelli would become the youngest World Champion in Formula 1 history, surpassing the record established by Sebastian Vettel in 2010 but Verstappen will be determined to prevent another Mercedes victory. The Red Bull driver has won five times in Mexico, more than anyone else, and arrives following a sequence of six consecutive podium finishes. His recent performances have also helped Red Bull draw level with McLaren on 355 points in the official Constructors' Championship, although Red Bull holds the higher position on countback.

The presence of Antonelli, Russell and Verstappen at the front could reduce the points available to our Ferrari and McLaren competitors. Equally, Mexico's unpredictable conditions could produce a different competitive order and allow Hamilton, Leclerc or Norris to challenge for victory.

Cadillac and 77: A Special Weekend for Pérez and Bottas

For Cadillac, Mexico City represents one of the most important occasions of its debut Formula 1 season with Sergio Pérez returning to his home Grand Prix for what is expected to be his 300th Formula 1 start, a significant milestone for one of Mexico's most successful racing drivers. He can expect enormous support from the local crowd, particularly in the Foro Sol stadium section, where Mexican fans traditionally create one of the most spectacular atmospheres in motorsport. Pérez has also agreed a contract extension with Cadillac through at least 2029, providing continuity as the American team continues developing its Formula 1 operation.

For Valtteri Bottas and our Cadillac/77 pairing, the objective remains securing a first championship point. Bottas retired from the United States Grand Prix with an engine problem, continuing a difficult season in which Cadillac has struggled to compete with established teams and in Mexico he missed the media day with Antonelli as both are currently ill. 

They have to recover for the challenges of the high altitude race, which will present further technical challenges, particularly for a new team still developing its understanding of the car. However, the enthusiastic home support for Pérez should make this a memorable weekend for Cadillac regardless of the final result.

Can Ferrari Strengthen Its Lead in Mexico?

The Mexican Grand Prix arrives at a fascinating point in the season. Ferrari and ZYN have established a commanding advantage in the teams' competition, but the individual championship is becoming increasingly difficult to predict with Hamilton leading Leclerc by just eight points, meaning another strong performance from the Monegasque driver could change the order at the top. Norris remains close enough to challenge if McLaren can rediscover its earlier competitiveness, although VELO needs a significant improvement to threaten Ferrari's teams' lead.

Antonelli's expected championship coronation and Verstappen's exceptional record in Mexico add further uncertainty, while Cadillac and Bottas continue searching for a breakthrough and their challenge is simply getting their first point before Antonelli clinches the entire title.

With the championship heading directly to São Paulo after Mexico, there is little time for teams to recover from mistakes. Ferrari will want to maintain its recent consistency, McLaren desperately needs a change of fortune, and the battle between Hamilton and Leclerc could become even closer.

For the Snus Vikings Nicotine Pouch Formula 1 Championship, the question is whether Mexico City will finally see Leclerc take the lead from Hamilton or whether the seven-time World Champion can reassert his authority before the final four races.

The Snus Vikings Nicotine Pouch Formula 1 Championship is an independent, unofficial editorial ranking of selected drivers using their actual Formula 1 results. The nicotine pouch brand associations are fictional editorial pairings and do not represent sponsorship, endorsement or affiliation with Formula 1, its teams or drivers.