Sainz controls penalty-ridden Mexico GP
Monday, 28 October 2024
The Ferrari driver claimed his fourth win.
Carlos Sainz secured a stunning victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix, bouncing back after briefly losing the lead to Max Verstappen at the start. The Ferrari driver claimed his fourth win in Formula 1® in a race filled with action and controversy.
The drama began early as Verstappen snatched the lead from pole-sitter Sainz at Turn 1. However, Sainz fought back, reclaiming first place on Lap 9. The real fireworks started when Verstappen became embroiled in a fierce battle with title rival Lando Norris, resulting in two 10-second penalties for the Dutchman.
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As the dust settled from the Verstappen-Norris scrap, Charles Leclerc found himself in second place, creating a Ferrari 1-2. The Scuderia looked set for a dominant finish until a late-race mistake by Leclerc allowed Norris to snatch second place.
While Sainz controlled the race from the front, the action behind was relentless. The Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell engaged in a thrilling intra-team battle for fourth place, with Hamilton eventually coming out on top.
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Verstappen, despite his penalties, put in a recovery drive to finish sixth. It was a tough day for Red Bull, with home hero Sergio Perez struggling to 17th place after an early penalty for a false start.
The Haas team had reason to celebrate as Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh and ninth, respectively. Oscar Piastri impressed with a charge from 17th on the grid to finish eighth, while Pierre Gasly rounded out the points in tenth.
It was a disappointing 400th Grand Prix weekend for Fernando Alonso, who was forced to retire his Aston Martin early in the race.
"Gracias Mexico!" exclaimed a jubilant Sainz after the race. "It's incredible to see this crowd, I've been feeling their support all week... I really wanted this one, I really needed it also for myself – I wanted to get it done."
The Formula 1® circus now heads to Brazil for the São Paulo Grand Prix, the final stop in this triple-header sequence.
Top 10 Finishers:
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
