By Graham Duxbury @TheRealDux

Last weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix proved to be the perfect showcase for Lando Norris’s growing maturity and confidence behind the wheel. Starting from pole position, he delivered a composed and commanding drive.

His getaway was clean, his race management exemplary, and his pace never wavered leading to a significant, 30 second margin over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the chequered flag. He was closely followed by Max Verstappen whose Red Bull appeared slightly below par this weekend.

If Lando can replicate this form over the remaining rounds, he will be hard to beat in this year’s title chase.

In contrast, teammate Oscar Piastri has struggled to find similar consistency. Whether due to car setup challenges, tyre wear, or difficulty adapting to the evolving McLaren package, the young Australian’s fifth place finish behind the Hass of Oli Bearman appears to show a loss of some of the fluidity that characterised his earlier performances.

It has a slightly “Danny Ric” feel about it  - reminiscent of Daniel Ricciardo’s time at McLaren, when moments of brilliance were too often undone by a lack of confidence in the car’s behaviour at the limit.

Still, Piastri’s underlying pace and composure suggest a turnaround is only a matter of time. With McLaren firmly among the frontrunners, both drivers have the machinery to win, but right now Norris seems to have the edge.

Photocredit: AP Photo