Set over 2,000 metres above sea level, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a circuit that tests both cars and drivers unlike any other. The thinner air makes grip unpredictable while the atmosphere is undeniably electrifying.
It is a place Ollie Bearman already knew well, having driven a Ferrari around the track last year in a Practice session. But this time, he returned with momentum and experience on his side, fresh from two of his career-best starts in recent races and ready to chase something even bigger.
Practice
With junior drivers taking the wheel in FP1, Ollie’s first taste of the track came in the second practice session. Sitting in P17 in both FP2 and FP3, it was a quiet but crucial opportunity to get used to the car in Mexico’s thin air.
Qualifying
By qualifying, the energy around the circuit was as hot as the track itself, with surface temperatures touching 50°C. Ollie wasted no time getting to work, setting a strong early lap and momentarily topping the timesheets.
He carried that pace through to Q2, where he placed firmly inside the top ten. When it came to Q3, he was once again in the fight, reaching his third consecutive top ten and securing P10 for Sunday’s race.
The Race
Starting from P9 after a grid penalty was applied to Sainz, Ollie launched off the line with intent, armed with the speediest soft compound tyres. Within the opening lap, he had already surged up to P6, and when Hamilton and Verstappen tangled ahead, Ollie slipped through with opportunistic precision.
By Lap 8, Ollie was sandwiched between two world champions - 2.5 seconds behind Hamilton’s Ferrari and with Verstappen’s Red Bull less than one second behind. By Lap 11, Ollie had built a gap over Verstappen and was running comfortably in the leading pack.
After a clean pit stop on Lap 25, Ollie rejoined the race in P7, still showing superb pace on the medium compound tyres. In a series of fantastic overtakes, Ollie then passed the Racing Bull of Isack Hadjar and battled with former F2 teammate, Kimi Antonelli, in the Mercedes, eventually snatching P5.
By Lap 34, Ollie was back into P4, with two drivers ahead yet to pit. Lap 40, saw Ollie climb into P3 as both of the Mercedes cars behind Ollie switched positions to try and catch him. However, it was not possible as Ollie defended against the Mercedes duo in a nail-biting mid-race fight.
Lap after lap, Ollie held his ground, wheel to wheel with the sport’s biggest names, before a late second stop on Lap 49 saw him rejoin in P4, with fresher tyres than Verstappen ahead and showing thrilling pace. Could he catch the reigning world champion?
With Russell’s Mercedes in his mirrors, Ollie battled to pull ahead on his new tyres, building a more than one-second advantage over George, who was unable to catch the Haas. By Lap 62, Ollie was holding P4 and the Mercedes had lost position to the McLaren of Piastri, who was next in line to try and catch Ollie.
Despite late pressure from Piastri in the final three laps, Ollie was defending hard. Lap 70 saw a Virtual Safety Car when Sainz spun off track, neutralising the race for a brief moment. With one racing lap left, Piastri was less than a second behind Ollie, but he could not be caught - flying across the finish line in P4.
Looking Ahead
Claiming his best-ever finish in Formula 1 and securing Driver of the Day from fans, Ollie’s P4 finish saw him collect 12 valuable points, lifting him from 18 to 13 in the Drivers’ Championship. His points haul also helped pull the Haas team into eighth in the Constructors’ standings.
For a driver who had never previously completed a Grand Prix lap inside the top six, Mexico City marked a major leap forward for Ollie - proof of just how far he has come in his debut F1 season. With confidence undoubtedly high, all eyes now turn to Brazil as the season enters its final stretch.
All in
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