F1 – Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz won the Mexico City Grand Prix yesterday after Red Bull’s Formula One leader Max Verstappen was twice punished for his driving against title rival Lando Norris and finished sixth.
McLaren’s Norris was second to slash Verstappen’s overall lead from 57 points to 47 with four rounds remaining, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third with a bonus point for fastest lap.
Triple world champion Verstappen, who pitted from third place to serve two 10-second penalties on lap 27, had to fight back from 15th after starting on the front row with Sainz on pole position.
The Dutch driver had won five of the last six races in Mexico, including the last three editions, but has now not won for 10 races in a row.
The win was a first for Ferrari in Mexico since 1990 and fourth of Sainz’s career.
“I really wanted to win this one. I needed it for myself. I said I wanted one more win for Ferrari and to do it here with this mega crowd is incredible,” said the Spaniard, who is leaving for Williams at the end of the season.
Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Haas had another good weekend with Kevin Magnussen seventh and Nico Hulkenberg ninth, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri sandwiched between in eighth.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly took the final point.
McLaren stayed top of the constructors’ standings, but now only 29 clear of Ferrari.
Verstappen’s behaviour was again the talk of the afternoon, with stewards taking a hard line against the champion for forcing Norris off the track after a controversial previous weekend in Texas where it paid off.
In Mexico as in Austin, it was the title duel with Norris that provided the sparks with the Briton forced wide in two separate incidents as he tried to take second place.
“I was ahead the whole way through the corner. This guy is dangerous,” exclaimed Norris over the team radio after being forced wide at turn four on lap 10.
“It’s the same as last time. I’ll be in the wall in a minute.”
Norris cut a corner and tried to let Verstappen take back the place at turn eight but both went off and Leclerc seized his opportunity to pass them both.
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