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VIDEO | Why Verstappen's Mexican GP victory is his most significant F1 win
The Dutchman held a 12 point lead over Lewis Hamilton heading to Mexico City, and extended that to 19 with an emphatic win on Sunday. He may have started in P3, but in the slipstream of pole sitter Valtteri Bottas, he closed that gap with ease before braking late and sweeping around the outside to take the lead of the race. From there on in, it was plain sailing, and he cruised to his ninth win of 2021.
If he manages to cling on and win the title, then Verstappen’s mid-season form, that saw him win four of five races between Monaco and Austria, will be what secured it, but, this win in Mexico is arguably the most important of the lot.
Austin was seen as a Mercedes circuit, yet Red Bull triumphed. So, coming to a Mexico circuit suited to the Austrian outfit’s set-up, Verstappen was expected to win, and he delivered on that promise.
The nature of this win is made even sweeter by the fact Mercedes locked out the front row, and the fact that just four races now remain. With a lead of 19 points, a DNF would of course swing things back towards Hamilton, but if Verstappen ensures he finishes inside the top two in every race from here on out, which is extremely likely given how this season has panned out, then things will be looking rosy.
Of course, if Hamilton wins all four races that won’t be enough, but given Verstappen and Red Bull’s form around Brazil, which comes up next, they are firmly in the driving seat. Had Verstappen slipped up around the Mexico track, then, with the remaining tracks left, Hamilton would’ve been in prime position. However, by securing victory, Verstappen already has one hand on the title. That’s not to jinx it, don’t worry Dutch fans, but this lead is certainly a formidable one.
It’s not even close to the one Hamilton had last year, but at this stage of the season, with Red Bull still looking so strong, it’s now Verstappen’s world championship to lose. Not only does the Dutchman look set to finally win a single seater championship, but with victory in Mexico he’s beaten Ayrton Senna’s record for the most wins in a season in a Honda-powered car; quite the achievement for the 24-year-old.
If Hamilton had won around Mexico, then it truly would’ve been in the balance for who’d be triumphant come Abu Dhabi, but Verstappen’s ice-cold composure and incredible talent ensured that wasn’t the case. Win in Brazil, and finish second in the final three races, and the Drivers’ Championship is Verstappen’s. That’s most certainly a possibility, and it could be a reality thanks to his dominance on Sunday in Mexico.
Hamilton’s “he’s quick” message on the radio epitomised the edge Verstappen currently holds, and I can’t see him losing the title from here, especially given the success Red Bull and himself usually have at Brazil. He may well reach double digits for race wins this season, but victory in the Mexican Grand Prix was the most important of Max Verstappen’s season, and his Formula One career.