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Summary:
- Carlos Sainz secured second season win with victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Lando Norris.
- Max Verstappen struggled with penalties for a contentious lap with Norris, placing sixth.
- Norris cut Verstappen’s championship lead to 47 points.
Carlos Sainz delivered a masterful performance to secure victory at the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Lando Norris in second place while Max Verstappen struggled with penalties, ultimately finishing sixth.
The race was marred by controversy, particularly concerning Verstappen’s driving, which drew sharp criticism from Norris and McLaren’s team principal, Zak Brown, who stated, “enough is enough“.
While Sainz took the win, Ferrari’s second driver, Charles Leclerc, was unable to keep pace with the leaders and ultimately finished behind Norris.
Verstappen’s Slapped With Two 10-second Penalties
Verstappen’s day took a turn after he was penalized with two 10-second penalties for aggressive driving during a contentious lap with Norris, where they clashed multiple times.
This incident mirrored last week’s race in Austin, where Norris himself had been penalized.
Sainz initially lost his pole position to Verstappen at the start, but after a brief Safety Car period due to Yuki Tsunoda’s crash, he regained control and showcased Ferrari’s dominance.
On lap nine, Sainz overtook Verstappen on the main straight, demonstrating Ferrari’s expected superiority.
Shortly after, Norris began his charge, setting off a sequence of events that led to the penalties for Verstappen.
The drama unfolded on lap ten. The first clash occurred when Verstappen forced Norris off the track at Turn Four, and in the following incident, he gained an unfair advantage by running wide.
The penalties allowed Norris to take over third place, and he later overtook Leclerc, solidifying his second position. Verstappen’s struggles were compounded by tire wear and an inability to regain competitiveness after serving his penalties. After the penalties, he dropped from third to sixth place.
Norris’ strong finish allowed him to reduce Verstappen’s lead in the championship standings to 47 points, as the McLaren driver capitalized on the chaos. The 24-year-old complained on team radio following the incidents
This guy is dangerous, I just had to avoid a crash, the same as last time. I’ll be in the wall in a minute.
Verstappen also received two penalty points on his super licence after the race for the Turn Four incident, bringing his total to six points over the past 12 months.
Accumulating 12 points within this timeframe will result in a race ban.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, after a fierce battle with his Mercedes teammate George Russell, both finishing over 40 seconds behind Sainz.
Sainz: “I Really Wanted This One”
Sainz celebrated his second win of the season with palpable emotion, stating,
I really wanted this one… I needed it for myself.
As he prepares to leave Ferrari for Williams next season, Saintz, who showed exceptional form at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez throughout the weekend, emphasized his determination to enjoy the final races of the season and strive for more victories.
Now four races left, I want to enjoy it as much as possible. If anyone comes, I will go for it.
In parallel, Norris’s performance marks a significant moment in the title race, as McLaren aims to close the gap in the Constructors’ Championship, now just 29 points behind Ferrari.
Looking back on his earlier encounters with Verstappen, Norris remarked he has “great respect” for him and his racing skills, and that he is eager to engage in more battles with him.
At the same time, Norris made sure to emphasize Sunday’s incidents crossed the line.
We both could be out of the race, and I don’t think that’s how you should race
Next weekend see the Brazilian GP – Who will win? Can Norris close the gap on Verstappen further? Get the best odds from our sportbooks operating in Brazil.
