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In an exhilarating episode of the Mexican Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz clinched his fourth F1 victory on Sunday evening. Despite facing a 20-second time penalty, Max Verstappen managed to finish sixth, limiting the damage to his championship rival Lando Norris, who finished in second and reduced Verstappen’s lead to 10 points in the championship standings. However, Verstappen remains comfortably ahead with a 47-point cushion overall.
Recap of the Mexican Grand Prix
Here’s a quick overview of the key moments from the race:
THE START: The 71-lap race kicked off with Carlos Sainz starting from pole position, but Max Verstappen quickly snatched the lead with a lightning-fast start. The Dutch driver took full advantage of the long run to Turn 1. Although Sainz briefly went off the track, he quickly regained his position. Sergio Pérez, starting from 18th, also had an impressive start, moving up five places but later receiving a five-second time penalty for being improperly positioned on the grid. Unfortunately, Yuki Tsunoda crashed out early, along with Alexander Albon, bringing out the safety car.
VIDEO: Watch the chaotic start of the Mexican GP
RACE RESUMES: As the safety car came in, Verstappen wasted no time and immediately accelerated out of the stadium, maintaining his lead from Sainz, Norris, Leclerc, and Hamilton.
ROUND 9: Sainz made a daring move against Verstappen, reclaiming the lead after a brief excursion over the curbs. Fortunately for the Ferrari driver, there were no significant repercussions from that moment.
Incidents and Penalties
ROUND 11: In an intense battle, Norris and Verstappen found themselves off-track twice, first in Turn 4 and then in Turn 8. While Norris initially passed Verstappen, the latter fought back, leading to Leclerc advancing into second place behind Sainz. The stewards investigated the clashes and handed Verstappen a ten-second time penalty for his antics in Turn 4, prompting him to grumble, “What a gift!”
ROUND 16: Fernando Alonso faced a forced pit stop due to brake issues, marking the end of his remarkable 400th race in the F1 circuit.
ROUND 26: As your typical race ebb and flow continued, Verstappen served his time penalties during his first pit stop, reemerging in 15th position, just ahead of Perez. The top contenders at this point were Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Russell, and Hamilton.
The Climax
ROUND 63: In an unexpected twist, Leclerc made a mistake in the last corner before the finish line, almost losing control, which allowed Norris to capitalize and seize second place.
THE FINAL LAPS: Carlos Sainz crossed the finish line victorious, with a solid gap over both Norris and Leclerc. Verstappen finished in sixth, behind Mercedes’ Hamilton and Russell. Notably, Leclerc secured an extra championship point for the fastest lap.
TOP 10 FINISHERS:
- Sainz
- Norris
- Leclerc
- Hamilton
- Russell
- Verstappen
- Magnussen
- Piastri
- Hülkenberg
- Gasly
Looking forward, the next race will take place this coming Sunday: the São Paulo GP in Brazil.
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