Written by Owen Bradley
Carlos Sainz dominated the F1 Mexican Grand Prix, coming home to the chequered flag after starting from pole position as well. Max Verstappen would be handed a controversial 20-second penalty after two incidents with Lando Norris, the McLaren driver now closing to Verstappen in the standings.
Max Verstappen would manage to get the jump on Carlos Sainz at the race start, drawing alongside his former Toro Rosso teammate into the first corner, claiming the lead at the start of the race, as Lando Norris loomed large in the mirrors of both of them.
Chaos would ensue behind, as Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon collided in the braking zone at the first corner, Albon's Williams hitting the right rear tyre of Tsunoda's VCARB Car, with further replays showing that Albon was not left enough space on the inside, subsequently having nowhere to go, leading to the collision.
An early Safety Car for the collision would see both Tsunoda and Albon retire from the race, with the stewards also able to take a close look at other incidents at the start of the race. One of those, would be home-hero Sergio Perez, who received a penalty for not pulling into his grid box, going too far forwards out of the grid slot.
At the restart of the race, Verstappen would maintain the lead for just a short few laps, as Carlos Sainz dived down the inside of the championship leader into Turn 1 from a relatively long way back, making the move stick and reclaiming the lead of the race.
Lando Norris would be next in line to overtake his championship rival, the pair of them about to cause the biggest controversy of the race and arguably, of the season thus far.
Norris would draw alongside Verstappen in the braking zone at Turn 4, with Verstappen controlling the corner, and ensuring that he had control over the next corner Turn 5 as well, which comes just a second later in very quick succession.
Verstappen would appear to squeeze Norris off the circuit, Norris cutting across the grass and overtaking Verstappen off the circuit at Turn 5. However, their battle was not yet finished.
Verstappen sent a huge dive-bomb from a couple of car lengths back at Turn 8, the fast left-hander. Verstappen would go up the inside and ran off the circuit on the exit, forcing Lando Norris to also run wide as well.
Verstappen would receive a 10-second penalty for the first incident at Turn 4, and another 10-second penalty for the incident at Turn 8. McLaren's Zak Brown revealed that "the penalties are not enough" in a post race interview with Sky Sports F1.
Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez would come to blows throughout the race several times, with Lawson even sticking his middle finger up at Perez down the front straight at one point. The pair of them battled intensely in the same corners that Verstappen and Norris had just a few laps earlier, also running one another off the circuit.
Lawson would in fact win out in this battle, as Perez began struggling for grip with the Hard compound tyres. Perez's issues were just beginning though, the Mexican at one point pushing Lance Stroll across the grass at Turn 4, in a very similar fashion to what teammate Max Verstappen did to Lando Norris earlier on. Perez would not receive any form of penalty.
Verstappen would come into the pits and serve the 20-second penalty, fitting the Hard tyres and coming back out of the pits way behind his rivals, who were much further up ahead.
Norris would begin slowly closing down on the Ferrari drivers at the front of the field, with Leclerc unable to put any meaningful dent into the gap between himself and the race leader, Carlos Sainz. Meanwhile, the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell began battling for many laps, the pair of them keeping it classy and respectful, making sure to leave enough racing room.
Lando Norris would close down on Charles Leclerc in the dying laps of the race, eventually getting within one second and subsequently within the DRS (Drag Reduction System) zone.
However, Leclerc would lose the rear of his Ferrari midway through the final corner, almost completely crashing, being just able to keep it on the circuit. Leclerc would however, lose second place as Lando Norris came through.
Leclerc would make one final pit stop onto the Soft tyres, managing to bag the fastest lap point, taking it away from championship rival Lando Norris, despite losing to Norris on the circuit in the Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz would come home comfortably to take a well-earned victory, ahead of Lando Norris and teammate Charles Leclerc.
Max Verstappen would finish in sixth place after all the penalties and incidents, attempting to minimise the damage dealt in the championship standings.
Formula One returns next weekend for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
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