Ferrari’s Sainz wins Mexico F1; Norris closes gap on penalised Verstappen

Verstappen’s 2 clashes with Norris outgo him 2 points, closing the drivers’ spread to 47 points with 4 races to spell successful the Formual One season.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took an affectional triumph successful the Mexico City Grand Prix aft Red Bull’s Formula One person Max Verstappen was doubly penalised for clashes with rubric rival Lando Norris and finished sixth.

McLaren’s Norris, who called Verstappen ‘dangerous’ during Sunday’s race, finished 2nd to slash the triple satellite champion’s wide vantage from 57 points to 47 with 4 rounds remaining.

Charles Leclerc, caught and passed by Norris with 9 laps to spell to contradict Ferrari a 2nd successive one-two, was 3rd and took a bonus constituent for fastest lap.

The triumph was a archetypal for Ferrari successful Mexico since 1990 and 4th of Sainz’s career.

“I truly wanted to triumph this one. I needed it for myself. I said I wanted 1 much triumph for Ferrari and to bash it present with this mega assemblage is incredible,” said the Spaniard, who is leaving for Williams astatine the extremity of the season.

Verstappen, who pitted from 3rd spot to service 2 10-second penalties connected thigh 27, had to combat backmost from 15th aft starting connected the beforehand enactment with Sainz connected rod position.

The Dutch operator had won 5 of the past six races successful Mexico, including the past 3 editions, but has present not won for 10 races successful a row.

Still the wide rubric favourite, helium sounded unconcerned and unrepentant.

“The biggest occupation that I person is that contiguous was a atrocious time successful presumption of contention pace,” said Verstappen.

Mercedes brace Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished 4th and 5th respectively aft a lively conflict successful the closing stages.

Haas had different bully play with Kevin Magnussen seventh and Nico Hulkenberg ninth, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri sandwiched betwixt successful eighth.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly took the last point, moving the Renault-owned squad person to seventh-placed Williams.

McLaren stayed apical of the constructors’ standings, but lone 29 wide of Ferrari.

Verstappen had seized the pb from Sainz down the agelong opening consecutive but his vantage did not past agelong erstwhile the information car came successful connected thigh six, with the Spaniard taking backmost the pb 3 laps aboriginal with the assistance of resistance simplification (DRS).

Sainz finished 4.705 seconds wide of Norris, with Leclerc 34.387 down his teammate aft a precocious halt for caller tyres to acceptable the fastest lap.

Five races to go. 47 points successful it. #F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/k0v2rTEcS2

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 28, 2024

‘This feline is dangerous’

Verstappen was again the speech of the afternoon, with stewards taking a hard enactment against him for forcing Norris disconnected the way aft a arguable erstwhile play successful Texas wherever it paid off.

In Mexico arsenic successful Austin, it was the conflict with Norris that provided the sparks.

“I was up the full mode done the corner,” said Norris implicit the squad vigor aft being forced disconnected astatine crook 4 connected thigh 10.

“This feline is dangerous. It’s the aforesaid arsenic past time. I’ll beryllium successful the partition successful a minute.”

They clashed again astatine crook 7 connected the aforesaid thigh and Verstappen was ruled to person gained an vantage by leaving the track.

“I respect Max arsenic a operator but I was acceptable to expect thing similar this and this is not precise cleanable driving successful my opinion,” Norris said later.

Max Verstappen steers his Red Bull followed by McLaren operator Lando Norris during the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix astatine the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack successful Mexico City [Eduardo Verdugo/AP]