Carlos Sainz wins F1 Mexico GP, Max Verstappen penalized for Lando Norris scrap

MEXICO CITY — It might not have been a Ferrari 1-2 like in Austin, however Carlos Sainz received the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix with a 4.7-second hole over Lando Norris. Charles Leclerc rounded out the rostrum, and Ferrari moved to second within the constructors’ standings.

Inside the first 20 laps, the title momentum swung because the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix primarily grew to become a injury limitation race for Max Verstappen after he obtained two 10-second time penalties for his battles with Norris. He needed to serve the penalties throughout his first pit cease, and the Crimson Bull pit crew hovered as they waited out the 20-second clock.

It’s the second consecutive race weekend Norris and Verstappen have been concerned in incidents that resulted in vital penalties. In Austin, Norris obtained a five-second time penalty, which moved the Dutchman to a podium end.

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The Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix began with a chaotic begin as Sainz and Verstappen battled for the lead because the grid barreled right down to Flip 1, however an incident additional again within the discipline left the remaining 18 drivers navigating the circuit behind the protection automobile for 5 laps. Alex Albon, who had little room, clipped the rear of Yuki Tsunoda, sending the RB driver backward as a tire flew off.

Because the grid remained behind the protection automobile, Sergio Pérez obtained a five-second time penalty for a false begin, which he wanted to serve at his first pit cease. He had rocketed up the grid and gained 5 spots originally of the race, and the stress was on to complete forward of Oscar Piastri.

The restart was easy and incident-free, Verstappen pulling over a second forward of Sainz early on. However it didn’t final lengthy. With the assistance of DRS, Sainz despatched it previous Verstappen to retake the lead, and on Lap 10, Verstappen and Norris started battling, leading to two separate incidents. The moments occurred at Turns 4 and eight, the primary of which the Dutchman obtained a 10-second time penalty for “forcing one other driver off the observe” and one other 10-second penalty for “leaving the observe and gaining a bonus.”

LAP 14 / 71

Max Verstappen has a 10-second time penalty for forcing one other automobile off observe! ⚠️

“10?! That is fairly spectacular.” he says to the Crimson Bull pit wall 📻#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/2uFgXECI7e

— Components 1 (@F1) October 27, 2024

The second incident allowed Leclerc to slide previous, and Ferrari took management of the race.

Verstappen’s race engineer GianPiero Lambiase instructed him over the radio, “So Max, replace, you’ve been given one other 10-second time penalty, that’s for leaving the observe and gaining a bonus at Flip 8.” Verstappen responded, “And the way about him then, Flip 4? That’s tremendous, then? That’s foolish, man.”

What a second within the story of this season’s World Championship 🤯🤯#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/nTZfYjDcMy

— Components 1 (@F1) October 27, 2024

After Verstappen served his penalties in the course of the first spherical of pit stops, he emerged P15 forward of Pérez. Ferrari maintained management of the race, Sainz eight seconds forward of Leclerc by lap 31. A couple of different moments occurred elsewhere on the grid that the stewards investigated, like Pérez’s incidents with Liam Lawson and Lance Stroll (each of which resulted in no additional motion). However whereas Verstappen started gaining floor and preventing his method by means of the grid, reaching P9 by lap 36, Pérez lingered behind the grid at P16, behind Zhou Guanyu (who had but to pit on the time) however forward of Stroll.

Verstappen’s racing strikes on Norris earned him a 20-second penalty pit cease. (CARLOS PEREZ GALLARDO/POOL/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)

The race fell right into a rhythm, however not with no few eye-catching moments, like George Russell being instructed the Mercedes drivers have been allowed to race for P4. Lewis Hamilton was scorching on his tail, transferring inside over a second of Russell by lap 49. That very same lap, Sainz radioed Ferrari and stated he felt they have been pushing too exhausting, however a bit additional again, Norris was gaining floor, transferring inside just a few seconds of Leclerc.

With 10 laps to go, Norris was inside placing distance of Leclerc, holding onto the race’s quickest lap on the time. However the McLaren driver’s second-place end didn’t come from an aggressive move; Leclerc misplaced the rear and flew out of observe limits, by some means saving the SF-24 from slamming the limitations.

Norris got down to search out his former teammate, Sainz, who actually hadn’t been challenged all through the race since retaking the lead from Verstappen. However the hole was fairly vital, sitting at 7.5 seconds or so. Sainz remained forward, and Ferrari known as in Leclerc to field in hopes of setting the quickest lap. He had a 29-second hole to Hamilton by the point he pitted. And Crimson Bull did the identical for Pérez. Leclerc ended with the quickest lap.

In the long run, Norris nonetheless gained floor within the drivers’ standings, with Verstappen ending sixth, and Ferrari moved to second within the constructors’ championship.

Right here’s how the highest 10 completed.