Sainz wins in Mexico as fireworks erupt between Norris and Verstappen
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Carlos Sainz has won the Mexican Grand Prix, but all of the attention will be on the fireworks between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. For a second week running, the two drivers met on track, and the stewards handed out penalties. This time, Verstappen got hit with two ten-second penalties for his actions on track, which Norris branded as "dangerous". Verstappen recovered to P6, as Norris finished second. Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium.
It was a race that Norris desperately needed in his fight to become World Champion, but has potentially come too late. The net result means Norris cuts the gap to Verstappen in the World Championship. Now, just four Grands Prix and two sprint races remain in the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Fireworks occurred between the two rivals early in the race. The British driver attacked Verstappen and tried to get around the outside. Verstappen pushed Norris off the track and then again at a corner on the same lap. Norris branded Verstappen as "dangerous", and the stewards applied Verstappen with two ten-second time penalties.
Mercedes did good business. Russell and Hamilton engaged in a scrap, and it was the older Brit who got the better of his teammate. They finished fourth and fifth. Haas had both drivers inside the top ten. Oscar Piastri completed his recovery race with a P8, but Perez couldn't manage the same feat. The Red Bull driver finished 17th.
What happened during the Mexican Grand Prix?
Sainz started from pole position after a blistering qualifying lap. Verstappen could maximise the Red Bull's performance and just got ahead of Norris for P2. The Brit started from third on the grid. Their teammates, Sergio Perez (18th) and Oscar Piastri (17th), were out of place on the grid. The entire top 11 started on medium tyres. Piastri started on the mediums, but Perez started on hards.
The slipstream on the run down to turn one ensured a frantic start. Norris looked to attack but just couldn't get through. Verstappen had a brilliant launch and managed to take the lead at the start by taking the inside line at turn one. Yuki Tsunoda headed towards the first corner in reverse after a bump in the pack. His crash caused a safety car, and Alex Albon also retired. Perez jumped up to P13, while Piastri was still down in 17th. But it was another mistake for Perez. He started too far forward and took a five-second penalty.
Verstappen survived the safety car restart but couldn't keep Sainz behind for long as he made the move on lap nine. Norris then tried to overtake Verstappen, and tensions boiled over between the two rivals. Verstappen picked up two ten-second penalties for his actions, which he served in a pit stop. He returned to the circuit outside of the points and behind Esteban Ocon. Ferrari took advantage of the spoils and took a comfortable one-two positioning. Even after Leclerc's pitstop on lap 33, they had a four-second gap to Norris.
Verstappen worked his way back up to P6. In the closing stages, Norris put pressure on Leclerc for P2. The man from Monaco made a mistake at the final corner and opened the door for the Brit.