MOTORSPORT: Verstappen masters Mexico
Record 16th win for reigning Formula 1 champion, as both Aussies score F1 pointsRed Bull star Max Verstappen has cruised to victory in the Mexican Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this morning, when the Red Bull star’s 16th win for the season bettered his benchmark set last year.
Verstappen nailed the initial race start from the second row of the grid and survived a mid-race full restart to romp to the win, with his points tally now over double that of his teammate Sergio Perez, who retains second in the standings.
It was also a solid day for Australians Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren), who both finished in the points – the first time a pair of Aussies have achieved the feat since Brazil 2013.
“To be honest, we of course are experiencing an incredible season,” said Verstappen.
“And today of course we had to start P3, but I think the pace of the car was very, very good.
“We tried to do a different strategy to everyone else and unfortunately with the red flag we couldn’t really show it.
“Nevertheless, on those hard tyres at the end, I think we were very, very strong.”
The race started in spectacular fashion when the pole-sitting Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was swamped on the run to the first corner by both of the Red Bulls, with Verstappen squeezing into the lead from third on the grid, while the fast-starting Perez came into contact with Leclerc, which launched the local favourite into the air.
Leclerc was able to carry on with front wing damage, while Perez retired to the pits.
From fourth on the grid, Ricciardo enjoyed his best race of the year and engaged in an early battle with Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who made it past on lap 11 of 71.
Verstappen was the first to stop on lap 20, and with his hard tyre advantage, he quickly worked his way back through the field.
The complexion of the race changed on lap 33 when Kevin Magnussen suffered a suspension failure, which pitched his Haas hard into the barriers, with the subsequent track repairs necessitating a red flag.
From the full standing restart, Verstappen jumped into the lead from Leclerc, Hamilton and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), while on lap 40, Hamilton claimed second from Leclerc with a pass in the grass on the main straight.
Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) engaged in a spirited battle on lap 48, while on the next lap at turn one, contact between the pair saw the latter spin into the outfield.
Lando Norris (McLaren) subsequently displaced both Aussie drivers, then George Russell (Mercedes) to settle in fifth.
At the chequered flag, Verstappen led home Hamilton by 13.875sec and Leclerc in third, with the latter pair rebounding from their disqualifications suffered last week in the USA.
Sainz was fourth from Norris, Russell, Ricciardo, Piastri, with Alex Albon (Williams) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine) rounding out the points finishers.
The Formula 1 season continues next weekend with the Brazilian Grand Prix.
2023 Mexican Grand Prix results:
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- George Russell, Mercedes
- Daniel Ricciardo, AlphaTauri
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Alex Albon, Williams
- Esteban Ocon, Alpine
- Pierre Gasly, Alpine
- Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri
- Nico Hulkenberg, Haas
- Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo
- Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo
- Logan Sargeant, Williams
- Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
- DNF. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
- DNF. Kevin Magnussen, Haas
- DNF. Sergio Perez, Red Bull
2023 Formula 1 championship standings:
- Max Verstappen – 491
- Sergio Perez – 240
- Lewis Hamilton – 220
- Carlos Sainz – 183
- Fernando Alonso – 183
- Lando Norris – 169
- Charles Leclerc – 166
- George Russell – 151
- Oscar Piastri – 87
- Pierre Gasly – 56
Related: MOTORSPORT: Verstappen wins US Formula 1 Grand Prix
Related: MOTORSPORT: Piastri wins F1 sprint
Related: MOTORSPORT: SvG and Stanaway win Bathurst
Related: MOTORSPORT: Piastri breaks through for maiden F1 podium
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