Three burning questions ahead of a highly-anticipated Mexican GP

Since his win at Zandvoort, the championship leader seems to have forgotten what victory tastes like. The Australian has only stood on the podium once since then — in Monza, during the much-debated team orders controversy with his teammate.

What followed was a costly DNF in Baku, a fourth place in Singapore, and a rather anonymous fifth in Austin last weekend, coming off another zero in the sprint the day before.

What once looked like one of his greatest strengths — his consistency — has started to fade in recent races. Will Mexico be the stage for his redemption? And perhaps more importantly, what kind of mindset will he bring to the media when he faces the press later today?

The four-time world champion heads into Mexico off the back of a stunning run of form — all the more remarkable considering how wide the gap was between the RB21 and McLaren’s MCL39 before the summer break.

Red Bull appear to have pulled a rabbit out of the hat in recent races, with the latest technical upgrades clearly paying off, and Verstappen doing everything he can to squeeze every ounce of performance out of the car.

Adding to that, the Dutchman arrives at a circuit that has always suited him perfectly — five wins speak for themselves. All signs point to another big weekend for Verstappen, with the perfect ingredients in place for him to close the gap even further to the two McLarens — and firmly thrust himself back into title contention.

For the past year, the papaya squad has lived by what have become known as the “Papaya Rules” — a philosophy built on equal treatment and freedom to race. But when the technical and points gap to Red Bull was as wide as it once was, sticking to those principles was the easy part.

Although he acknowledged Verstappen as a genuine threat in the title fight, Andrea Stella made it clear that McLaren’s approach won’t change — both drivers will continue to receive equal treatment and have the freedom to fight it out until the very end.

However, with Verstappen back in blistering form and the RB21 once again a serious threat, McLaren may soon be forced to rethink that strategy — and back the driver who looks better placed to deliver results in these final few races.

With just 14 points separating Piastri and Norris, choosing a clear No. 1 would be anything but straightforward. But McLaren may soon have to bite the bullet and make that call — or risk history repeating itself, 2007-style.

Fresh off another commanding victory in Austin, Formula 1 heads to Mexico City for Round 20 of what’s fast becoming one of the most dramatic title battles in recent memory.

Verstappen’s win in Texas has brought him right back into striking distance of the two McLarens, and suddenly, a fifth straight world crown no longer feels like a fantasy.