Hamilton cautions McLaren as Red Bull intensifies pressure.

      "You need to be truly ruthless."

      The fragile truce between McLaren and Red Bull is beginning to unravel as the championship race intensifies—and even Lewis Hamilton suggests that the McLaren team needs to toughen up quickly. Following the 'tape-gate' incident in Austin, new Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies pledged to put an end to what he termed "silly games." "On one hand, one could argue that such strategies are part of F1 history," he told The Athletic. "However, it's equally true that we recognize it has become excessive, and we will ensure it doesn't escalate again."

      In Mexico, Sky Italia reported a new provocation: "A skull has been drawn on the Papayas' pitstop box. There's a Red Bull mechanic who sketches a national symbol on his team's box at every Grand Prix. What if he did the same at McLaren this time? It's a prank, but it could lead to repercussions."

      Red Bull, clearly relishing the psychological advantage, has also introduced the sole significant upgrade in the pits. Hamilton insists McLaren can't afford to hesistate. "You have to be really ruthless," he cautioned. "That's how Max operates. He will take this World Championship from them if they don't respond in kind. They need to push—maintain control over someone like Max, especially in the car he’s driving right now."

      Within McLaren, tension is evident. Championship frontrunner Oscar Piastri described practice in Mexico as merely "reasonable," while teammate Lando Norris seemed calm and self-assured. "Norris is more at ease, while Piastri is struggling to showcase his speed, losing crucial tenths in the process," noted Sky Italia's Ivan Capelli.

      Team principal Andrea Stella came to the defense of his younger driver, stating, "Even a world champion has to overcome learning and adjustment challenges—consider Barcelona and Hungary. Oscar is absorbing everything rapidly, and I anticipate him becoming very strong in this concluding phase of the season."

      However, former driver Timo Glock believes the mental equilibrium between the two McLaren racers has changed. "These are the insights Lando has gained from seven seasons in Formula 1," said the Sky Deutschland analyst. "Since Zandvoort, he’s realized he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. That's his advantage now—he's starting to leverage it mentally against Piastri."

      Ralf Schumacher concurred, stating, "Zandvoort was a pivotal moment. After that, he recognized he could outperform Piastri if he remained relaxed. He has focused on that and developed routines that aid him."

      Norris himself seemed almost tranquil ahead of the weekend, remarking, "I can enjoy it for the most part. Yes, there's increased pressure every session, but I still find joy in it, and I’m likely more relaxed than ever. The added attention and expectations are there, but I feel good—which is why I'm performing well."

      Schumacher concluded: "McLaren would be wise to simply let the drivers compete—allow them to regain their rhythm instead of getting caught up in any rules."