Spanish driver Carlos Sainz in Ferrari won the Mexican Grand Prix, the twentieth event of the F1 World Series.
Photo: ČTK / imago sportfotodienst / Eric Alonso
Carlos Sainz, winner of the VC of Mexico.
British Lando Norris on a McLaren finished second, while Sainz’s Monaco teammate Charles Leclerc finished third. Sainz had an ideal weekend, confirming the pole position with the fourth triumph of his career and the second of the season (the first at the Australian Grand Prix).
Ferrari moved into second place in the Constructors’ Cup ahead of Red Bull thanks to a double podium. Only Max Verstappen scored points in his colors in Mexico, who took 6th place and remains the leader of the standings.
His teammate, Mexican Sergio Perez, took the last place at the home VC. Norris has taken 10 points off Verstappen’s lead and is currently 47 behind the reigning champion.
Sainz kept the first position after the start, but at the end of the long opening straight he did not enter the corner and had to give up the position to Verstappen. Before the first right-hand corner, Albon found himself between Gasly and Cunod, with whom he collided and the race was over for both.
The race did not go well for the local Perez, who only started from 18th place and at the beginning he received a 5-second penalty for not entering the starting position. After the safety car went out, Verstappen kept first place ahead of Sainz, while Norris was third at that moment.
At the beginning of the 9th lap, Sainz managed to make a spectacular maneuver to take the lead. Shortly after that, Norris also dared to challenge the Dutchman, but Leclerc finally took advantage of their tense fight, moving to third place.
The marshals later handed Verstappen a ten-second penalty for pushing Norris off the track, and he was later given another ten seconds for another offence. In the 16th round, the race ended for the Spaniard Fernando Alonso, for whom it was the jubilee 400th Grand Prix.
Verstappen served his penalty on the 27th lap. His pit stop lasted 24 seconds and he was ranked 15th when he returned to the track. At the time, the trio of Sainz, Leclerc, and Norris were in the lead. Perez was struggling in front of his own spectators, and in the 42nd lap, Lawson sent him to last place with a successful maneuver.
From around lap 50, Sainz’s lead began to shrink. In particular, Norris had the speed, who in the 63rd lap got close to the second Leclerc – he made a mistake before the expected fight, when he did not enter the right-hand corner and easily gave up the position to Norris. An extra point for the fastest lap went to Leclerc.
There are still four competition weekends left until the end of the championship. The next race is scheduled for Sunday, November 3 in Brazil, after further events in Las Vegas and Qatar, the season will culminate on December 8 in Abu Dhabi.
Source: sportweb.pravda.sk
