Carlos Sainz Triumphs in Mexico as Norris and Leclerc Complete the Podium, Verstappen Penalised for Aggressive Moves.
Carlos Sainz delivered a masterclass at the Mexico City Grand Prix, claiming his fourth career victory and leaving the Ferrari garage all smiles.
When the lights went out, Max Verstappen wasted no time muscling his way into the lead. It was aggressive, and it looked like the reigning champion was setting the stage for another dominant display. That was until Lap 9, when Sainz reclaimed his rightful spot at the front.
The real fireworks, though, came courtesy of Verstappen and Lando Norris. The two went wheel-to-wheel in a duel. Verstappen’s defensive antics earned him not one, but two 10-second penalties.
These penalties paved the way for Charles Leclerc to slide into second, but Norris wasn’t done yet. With the determination of a man who had everything to prove, he hunted down Leclerc and snatched back P2 after the Monegasque went wide in the latter stages.
Still, Norris’s late charge wasn’t enough to rattle Sainz, who kept his cool and crossed the line 4.7 seconds clear. Ferrari’s double podium finish was sealed with Leclerc in third.
Behind the top three, Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell kept things interesting with their own intra-team skirmish. Hamilton ultimately edged out Russell, taking fourth and leaving the younger Brit in fifth.
What about Verstappen? After serving his penalties, the Red Bull ace clawed his way back to finish sixth.
Haas had a Sunday to remember, with Kevin Magnussen finishing seventh and Nico Hulkenberg in ninth. Between them was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who put on a clinic in recovery driving, surging from P17 on the grid to a commendable eighth.
Pierre Gasly rounded out the points for Alpine in tenth, fending off Lance Stroll, who was Aston Martin’s sole finisher in 11th. Williams’s Franco Colapinto crossed the line in 12th despite a 10-second penalty for a late-race collision with Liam Lawson.
Esteban Ocon followed in 13th, ahead of the Sauber duo of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Lawson, meanwhile, had to settle for P16 after his clash with Colapinto.
For Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, it was a home race to forget. Checo finished a lowly 17th, the last of the classified runners in the Mexico grand prix.
Fernando Alonso’s 400th Grand Prix ended in heartbreak, as his Aston Martin gave up the ghost before the chequered flag. The same fate befell Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda, who both exited the race early following a Turn 1 collision on the opening lap.
Post-race, Sainz was all smiles. “It feels amazing,” he said. “The team did an incredible job, and we deserved this. It wasn’t an easy race, but we managed everything perfectly. A Ferrari one-two.”
“Now, four races left, I want to enjoy as much as possible and if another one comes, I will go for it.”
Photo Credits: Formula One Content Pool
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