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Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix 2024

Verstappen hammered by F1 stewards as Sainz dominates Mexican GP

Carlos Sainz claimed victory in Mexico City, but was overshadowed as Max Verstappen received 20 seconds worth of penalties.

Mexico start
Article
To news overview © XPBimages

Carlos Sainz dominated the Mexico City Grand Prix to record his second win of the F1 season - as Max Verstappen received 20 seconds worth of penalties from the stewards. 

Sainz was rarely troubled for a fourth career F1 win in straight-forward fashion as Lando Norris took a giant bite out of Verstappen's championship lead with second place.

Charles Leclerc completed the podium for Ferrari with the fastest lap - after another flashpoint between title rivals Verstappen and Norris.

Verstappen was passed for the lead by Sainz shortly after an early safety car, with Norris attacking his title rival into Turn 4 on lap 10 - but the Red Bull driver ran the McLaren off the track and across the run-off. 

Norris did not cede position, with Verstappen then forcing both cars off the track at Turn 8 moments later, which allowed Leclerc to scythe through to run second behind Sainz. 

For each of these two incidents, Verstappen received a 10-second time penalty apiece, totalling 20 seconds as Norris branded him "dangerous."

With his second place and fastest lap, Norris took 18 points to Verstappen's eight for an eventual sixth-place finish, meaning the gap now stands at 47 points.

Lewis Hamilton overtook team-mate George Russell late on for fourth, as Sergio Perez endured a nightmare home race, and finished 17th and last in a damaged Red Bull.

Result Race - Mexican

# Driver Team Time Tyre
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Verstappen vs Norris

A first lap safety car was called for after Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon collided at Turn 1 after Albon was squeezed by the Alpine of Pierre Gasly. 

Tsunoda hit the barrier and ran backwards into the run-off zone, but both drivers were okay, with the safety car lasting for six laps for clean-up and recovery, with Verstappen the leader.

From P2, he had out-dragged Sainz and forced the Ferrari across the grass at Turn 2, although the Spanish driver quickly gave the place back, with the order being Verstappen, Sainz, Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton and Russell.

On the restart, Sainz used DRS to pass Verstappen on lap 9 into Turn 1, with the controversial moments coming on lap 10. 

Norris attempted to go around the outside of Verstappen on the brakes at Turn 4 - and was ahead at the apex, but the Red Bull forced him across the grass with Norris then not giving the place back. 

Moments later at Turn 8, Verstappen lunged up the inside of the fast-left hander, forcing both cars off the track, with Leclerc passing as Hamilton and Russell also arrived to make a brief five-car battle.

After deliberations, Verstappen was handed a 10-second penalty apiece for the incidents, which he served at his pit-stop before recovering to sixth. 

Sainz promptly bolted after the incidents for a routine win, Ferrari's first in Mexico since Alain Prost in 1990, stopping for the only time on lap 33 of 71, but it was not a Ferrari one-two after Leclerc ran wide entering the pit-straight on lap 63, allowing Norris a free pass.

Russell did well to hold off Hamilton for multiple laps, despite being in an inferior Mercedes with an older spec, but was eventually passed for fourth. 

			© XPBimages
	© XPBimages

Magnussen stars for Haas

Kevin Magnussen banked seventh place and six points for Haas in his best finish since fifth in the 2022 Bahrain GP, as Oscar Piastri recovered to eighth for McLaren from 17th. 

Nico Hulkenberg made it a double-points finish for Haas in ninth, as Pierre Gasly grabbed Alpine's first point since a ninth-place in the Dutch GP. 

Lance Stroll finished 11th for Aston Martin ahead of Franco Colapinto in 12th for Williams, who was involved in contact with Perez at Turn 4. 

Colapinto was involved in a late incident with Liam Lawson, breaking the RB's front-wing and forcing him in for repairs and soft tyres in a bid to deny Norris the fastest lap - although

They made minor contact which broke the sidepod of the Red Bull, effectively ending Perez's race although he continued on to a 17th place finish - after a late fastest lap attempt.

Franco Colapinto was 12th ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon for Stake and Alpine. 

Zhou Guanyu was 15th, with Lawson 16th after his late stop for repairs.

As well as Albon and Tsunoda, the other retirement in the early stages was Fernando Alonso in his 400th grand prix entry. 

He retired the Aston Martin after brake trouble, with debris in the brake duct believed to be the cause.

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