Victors and vanquished from F1's unprecedented Mexico Grand Prix

Champion: Mercedes

Antonelli's success is certainly not his alone, but rather that of a dedicated team of engineers, mechanics, and support staff across Brackley, Brixworth, and F1 paddocks worldwide. Components of a machine that struggled during the ground-effect era but rebounded as F1 transitioned to entirely new chassis and power unit regulations for 2026.

A special mention is warranted for former Mercedes talent scout Gwen Lagrue and Toto Wolff. Lagrue identified Antonelli in karting and introduced him to the Mercedes young driver program at just 12 years old, while Wolff demonstrated his belief by promoting Antonelli at 18 to fill Lewis Hamilton's shoes. Father Marco has also been a crucial supporter throughout every stage up to now.

There were setbacks, damages, broken carbon fiber, and plenty of teenage tears along the journey. However, the Bologna native's extraordinary evolution this year proved it was all worthwhile.

Loser: Ferrari

Ferrari is facing "significant issues". Don't just take our word for it; those are Lewis Hamilton's own words. The British driver was furious when team-mate Charles Leclerc's off-track pass received only a mild five-second penalty, which was easily nullified by running in clear air.

After finally securing his first Ferrari pole and his first pole in F1 since 2023, Hamilton appeared poised for a grand prix victory as he pursued Max Verstappen in the closing laps, yet he couldn't find a way around on the straight due to Ferrari's relatively underpowered engine.

This isn't the first driver conflict for Ferrari this year, with Hamilton wanting more support from the Scuderia in what turned out to be an unlikely title challenge, and he and Leclerc have experienced other incidents where it felt they raced each other more fiercely than against rival teams.

After the race, Hamilton called for "serious discussions," and he is sure to have them. As Fred Vasseur stated in his post-race media briefing: "Drivers must show respect to the 2,000 people working for the team."

Lewis Hamilton is demanding serious talks at Ferrari after his latest flashpoint with Charles Leclerc

Champion: Max Verstappen

There was something poetic about Antonelli - well on his way to becoming the top driver of his generation, sharing the podium with the best drivers of the previous two generations in Verstappen and Hamilton.

While Hamilton may feel he should have claimed victory, this also turned into a classic Verstappen win, snatching triumph from the brink of defeat when his competitors faltered.

When his car is performing as it should, Verstappen is unbeatable. When it isn't, as in Mexico City, he becomes opportunistic. This time he dispatched one half of the battling Ferrari duo at the start, and the other during the only green flag pit stop on lap 28 while Leclerc served his five-second penalty.

From the front, Verstappen absorbed all the pressure to fend off Hamilton's repeated attempts, executing a precise performance to secure his third victory in four races.

Antonelli's and Mercedes' lead was too great to overcome, yet neutral and Dutch fans will be eagerly anticipating a fresh 2027 season. With four top teams all within three to four tenths as seen in recent races.

Loser: Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac

When team principal Marcin Budkowski joined this summer, he quickly recognized some of the compromises Cadillac has made to enter the F1 grid, with reliability and parts consistency proving to be a significant vulnerability.

"There are also several shortcuts that have been taken, which is unavoidable when establishing a new team in such a short time," he remarked in September. "It's about focusing on certain areas that need improvement. In the short term, obviously, reliability. We've seen struggles in that area, and just reaching operational excellence to a standard befitting a top team remains a challenge."

Mexico showcased this yet again, with both Sergio Perez and a struggling Valtteri Bottas dealing with issues early on, culminating in Bottas crashing out of the race due to a front-left suspension failure that sent him into the barriers at Turn 1. He was fortunate to escape without injuries, but as Cadillac shifts its focus to 2027, this serves as another wake-up call for F1's 11th team that standards must improve.

Bottas's position may be at risk with Colton Herta poised to step in, and his recent performances haven't helped his cause. However, currently, Cadillac's challenge isn't about its drivers. Perhaps it owes Bottas a year in a car that is consistently reliable and functional.

If this is it for Valtteri Bottas, then the Finn deserved better than a dysfunctional Cadillac debut car

Loser: Honda

Little more needs to be said about Aston Martin and Honda, but it feels harsh and concerning that the year began with a car that couldn't manage more than a few consecutive laps in Australia, and now, 17 races later, we're back in the same predicament.

While improvements in power unit performance were never expected to happen overnight, one might reasonably anticipate Honda to achieve greater reliability, as this is no way to approach racing.

"I'm doing my best, you know," a despondent Fernando Alonso said after parking his Aston Martin within six laps due to "abnormal pressure levels in the PU systems." His teammate Lance Stroll followed suit shortly after.

"Every lap I take, every morning I wake up, every preparation I make, the food I eat, everything is geared towards performing at my peak behind the wheel, but I'm unable to accumulate enough laps."