Carlos Sainz
delivered a spectacular drive to secure pole and victory at the Mexican Grand
Prix, becoming the first Ferrari driver to win in Mexico since Alain Prost in
the 1990s.
Ferrari looked well set to score a back-to-back one-two finish, but
a late charge from McLaren’s Lando Norris, coupled with a minor error from
Charles Leclerc, shifted the podium dynamics. Norris claimed second, while
Leclerc’s third-place finish still propelled Ferrari ahead of Red Bull in the
Constructors’ Championship standings.
Red Bull,
meanwhile, faced a weekend they’d rather forget. Despite qualifying on the
front row of the grid the race was one blunder after another for the reigning
champions. Verstappen’s driving was rather overzealous and his attempts to keep
championship rival Norris behind him went a step or two too far. Twice he
nerved Norris off the track and earned himself two ten-second penalties from
race stewards. Although Red Bull would like to argue against the penalties
reality is that they were deserved. It’s been a while since Verstappen has had
to defend as hard, against anyone, but his standard of driving left a lot to be
desired in Mexico. For hometown hero Sergio Perez, the weekend was equally
disappointing. After a frustrating qualifying that saw him knocked out in Q1,
Perez’s race ended in 20th place following a collision with AlphaTauri’s Liam
Lawson. Rumours continue to swirl around Perez’s future with Red Bull, yet he
remains defiant, vowing to return and fight for victory in Mexico next season.
Mercedes drivers
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell engaged in a thrilling late-race battle of
their own, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, while Verstappen settled
for sixth. Haas enjoyed a strong outing, with Kevin Magnussen in seventh and
Nico Hulkenberg finishing ninth, sandwiching McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in eighth.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten. In his milestone 400th race,
Fernando Alonso was forced to retire due to brake cooling issues, dashing hopes
of a fairy-tale finish.
Sainz’s victory,
his second of the season, marks the first time since 1981 that six different
drivers have won multiple races in a single season—a testament to the
competitiveness of today’s Formula 1 grid. The Spanish driver’s dominant
performance underscored his talent, leaving no challengers within reach.
The action now
shifts to Brazil, where another sprint weekend offers additional points
opportunities. With Ferrari’s current momentum, Red Bull will feel the pressure
as the 2024 season nears its thrilling conclusion.
