Sainz Wins Mexico GP with Norris P2 and Leclerc P3, Verstappen 6th with two penalties- but holds P1 Ranking
27 October 2024
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix from Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez saw Carlos Sainz secure another victory for Ferrari who also won the previous GP at COTA in Austin, TX. Despite losing the lead to Max Verstappen at the start, Sainz reclaimed his position on Lap 9 and maintained his dominance throughout the race. This victory marked Sainz’s fourth win in Formula 1, a significant achievement for the Spanish driver.
The race began with Verstappen taking the lead from Sainz, but the Ferrari driver quickly fought back. Drama unfolded as Verstappen and Lando Norris engaged in a fierce battle, resulting in Verstappen receiving two 10-second penalties for his aggressive moves. This allowed Charles Leclerc to move into second place, creating a Ferrari one-two at the front.
Norris, however, was not done fighting. He managed to chase down Leclerc in the latter stages of the race, taking advantage of a wide moment from the Monegasque driver to secure second place. Despite his efforts, Norris could not close the gap to Sainz, who crossed the finish line 4.7 seconds ahead.
Leclerc completed the podium in third, followed by the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Hamilton won a late-race battle with his teammate to finish fourth. Verstappen, despite his penalties, managed to recover and finish sixth, greatly reducing damage to his points lead over Norris.
The race also saw impressive performances from other drivers. Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh and ninth respectively, earning valuable points for Haas. Oscar Piastri, who started from 17th on the grid, climbed through the field to finish eighth. Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten for Alpine.
Up Next:
Brazil GP from Sao Paulo
