Carlos Sainz clinched a commanding victory for Ferrari at the Mexican Grand Prix, but his triumph was overshadowed by a heated clash between title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. This marked the second incident between the pair in just a week, with Norris ultimately coming out on top, denying Ferrari a 1-2 finish as he secured second place.
The drama began immediately when Verstappen jumped polesitter Sainz at the start, closing off any attempt by the Ferrari driver to reclaim the lead into Turn 1. Sainz was forced off track, cutting across the grass before rejoining ahead, but he wisely conceded the position back to Verstappen before the race was neutralized by a Safety Car triggered by Yuki Tsunoda’s crash with Alex Albon.
Once racing resumed, Sainz quickly overtook Verstappen with DRS down the main straight, setting the stage for a tense duel between Verstappen and Norris. In a near repeat of their Austin altercation, Norris attacked Verstappen on the next lap, only for Verstappen to aggressively close the door. As Norris rejoined ahead, Verstappen launched a dive into the next corner sequence, sending both cars off the track and ultimately allowing Charles Leclerc to move up into P2.
The stewards weren’t lenient with Verstappen, issuing him two 10-second penalties for his actions — one for forcing Norris off and another for gaining an advantage by cutting the corner. This 20-second setback, served during his pit stop, eliminated Verstappen from podium contention.
While Verstappen fought his way back to sixth, Norris took full advantage, steadily closing in on the Ferraris. He overtook Leclerc, who lost control momentarily at the final corner on Lap 63, but couldn’t quite reel in Sainz, who led comfortably to the checkered flag.
Leclerc pitted late to secure the fastest lap, rounding out the podium in third. Behind the Ferraris and Norris, a fierce internal battle unfolded between the Mercedes drivers. Lewis Hamilton eventually outmaneuvered George Russell, who was struggling with front wing damage, to claim fourth place.
Further back, Oscar Piastri’s recovery drive saw him finish eighth. Running a long first stint to set up a late charge, the McLaren rookie managed to overtake Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg but fell short of catching Verstappen.
For Sergio Perez, the Mexican GP was a race to forget. A grid penalty and a damaging clash with Liam Lawson saw Perez limp home in 17th, a dismal end to his home event. Meanwhile, Lawson, who ran a similar strategy to Piastri, briefly cracked the top five but ultimately finished outside the points after a collision with Franco Colapinto required a front-wing change.
Adding to the list of disappointments, Fernando Alonso’s 400th race was cut short by brake issues, marking a bitter milestone for the Aston Martin veteran.
The race’s highs and lows underscored Ferrari’s renewed form and resilience as Sainz secured another impressive win, while Verstappen’s penalties and the Norris battle added to an unpredictable championship narrative as the season edges closer to its conclusion.
