Lando Norris was "ready for" F1 rival Max Verstappen's "dangerous" driving at Mexico GP

Lando Norris finished the Mexican Grand Prix successful 2nd spot to summation 10 points connected F1 rubric rival Max Verstappen who was sixth aft 20 seconds worthy of penalties

Lando Norris branded rubric rival Max Verstappen "dangerous" but had the past laughter by taking a chunk retired of the Dutchman's title lead.

With 4 rounds to go, the Brit is present 47 points down and person than ever to Verstappen who was slapped with 20 seconds worthy of penalties arsenic helium duelled with his nearest challenger. Norris finished 2nd down Carlos Sainz who converted rod into his 2nd triumph of the season, portion Verstappen laboured to sixth.

And the McLaren operator said helium was simply grateful not to person been enactment into a partition arsenic helium and his rubric rival fought successful the aboriginal stages. He said: "The archetypal fewer laps, a batch of it was conscionable trying to enactment successful the contention and debar immoderate crashes.

"I knew what to expect. I did not privation to expect specified a thing, due to the fact that I respect Max a batch arsenic a driver, but I was acceptable for thing similar this. It was not precise cleanable driving, successful my opinion, but I avoided it and it was a bully race."

The spread is inactive a important 1 with 4 rounds remaining and Norris is not getting carried distant contempt a important summation connected the defending champion. He added: "I volition conscionable support my caput down and bash my best. We are doing a precise bully occupation arsenic a team. All we tin bash is absorption connected ourselves and we volition support pushing."

Verstappen insisted helium was "not worried" astir losing crushed to Norris and said helium refuses to "give up easily" erstwhile defending connected track. Norris denied Ferrari a 2nd one-two decorativeness successful arsenic galore Sundays arsenic helium took vantage of a precocious Charles Leclerc wobble.

But the Monegasque was grateful to debar hitting the partition and lend to different important haul for the Italians. They person present leapfrogged Red Bull into 2nd spot successful the hunt for the constructors' rubric and are conscionable 29 points down McLaren.

"The constructors' is inactive our people and, with weekends similar this, we are getting closer," beamed Leclerc. And, for Sainz, it was ngo accomplished successful his quest to triumph again earlier handing his Ferrari spot to Lewis Hamilton.

"I truly wanted this one, and needed it for myself. I wanted to get it done," the Spaniard smiled. "I person been saying for a portion that I wanted 1 much triumph earlier leaving Ferrari. With 4 races left, I volition bask it arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable and, if different 1 comes, I volition spell for it."

Hamilton completed a precocious overtake connected team-mate George Russell arsenic Mercedes stayed retired of occupation to decorativeness 4th and fifth. Home leader Sergio Perez's fortunes did not improve, though, arsenic helium picked up a punishment and harm and finished good extracurricular the points, having qualified 18th.