Carlos Sainz pulled off a brilliant move on Lap 9 of the Mexico GP, catching Red Bull’s Max Verstappen off-guard with a late dive to reclaim the lead—a move that set the stage for a commanding victory. Despite losing the lead at the start, Sainz fought back after an early safety car, executing a decisive pass on Verstappen into Turn 1. “With Max, you need to be determined, you need to be decisive,” Sainz explained. “I think I caught him a bit by surprise.”
From there, Sainz never looked back. His flawless performance through 71 laps secured his first win since March, withstanding the relentless pace of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. For Sainz, it was a career-defining race: “Once I was in the lead, I was trusting my pace, my management…I knew the win was possible.”
As Ferrari took home valuable points in the Constructors’ race and Leclerc claimed the fastest lap, Sainz’s Mexico GP win could mark his final Ferrari triumph—but one he won’t soon forget.
