Verstappen makes history in Mexico

Max Verstappen, who was proclaimed world champion in Japan on October 9, is now competing to make history. The one from Red Bull imposed his law at the Mexican Grand Prix and won his 14th victory of a season in which no one has been able to stand up to him. Just what the Dutchman needed, who with this result manages to stand out as the driver with the most wins in the same course, after equaling the record they shared in Austin Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013).

In a strategy race and much less intense than the previous one in the United States, Verstappen, who started on pole for the sixth time this year, suffered less than expected against Mercedes, who squandered their clearest chance for their first win of the year. Faced with the impotence of the Ferraris on a circuit at an altitude of 2,000 meters and nothing conducive to the characteristics of the F1-75, hamilton Y Russell they failed to embarrass the two-time champion, who dominated from start to finish and climbed onto the podium accompanied by the seven-time British champion and the local hero Sergio Perezthird. Carlos Sainz without options, finished fifth and Fernando Alonso he said goodbye early, between regrets, after a new technical problem ruined his race with five laps to go: “Incredible, what a season we’ve had”.”.

max, under pressure

Although ‘mess’ was expected at the start, taking into account the 811 meters to the first corner, one of the longest distances on the World Championship circuits, there were no incidents. Verstappenwithout slipstream, he held pole and soon put land in between thanks to his commitment from the start on the soft ones, the same compound chosen by Ferrari, in contrast to the medium ones that the two Mercedes were riding.

Hamilton and also ‘Checo’, very aggressive in the first lap, gained the position from Russell, while Sainz, fifth, kept his lead with Leclerc, and behind them was a motivated Fernando Alonso, also with the medium Pirelli compound , which climbed from ninth to seventh position, benefited by the terrible start of Bottas.

Hamilton was the only one still challenging Verstappen on a fast lap in the early stages of a very long race (71 laps), while Pérez tried to contain Russell’s reaction and it soon became clear that Leclerc did not have the pace of Sainz.

tires, keys

The performance of the soft tire was surprising, despite the high temperatures in Mexico City, with which the first stops started later than expected. Pérez suffered a slow pit stop that made things more difficult for him, to the despair of his followers, the more than 400,000 fans who packed the stands of the Hermanos Rodríguez Autodrome devoted to the Guadalajara driver.

Verstappen stopped one lap later than his teammate (25) to get back on track with means. Hamilton was provisionally in the lead, with high expectations in view of the end of the race, provided that he could complete his plan at a single stop.

More records in sight

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Ferrari failed again in the Sainz pit stop and Mercedes first called hamilton, who rode the hard ones to face the last 41 laps. Russell came in five laps later, also on hard. A strategy that went through waiting for Verstappen to have degradation and need to go to two stops. Alonso, looking for his opportunity, delayed his pit stop to the maximum to tackle the last 30 laps also with hard. The Asturian pushed until the engine of his Alpine said enough and his fifth abandonment of the year was consumed.

‘Mad’ Max continued intractable, with magnificent tire management, and kept his lead until the end. There are two grand prizes left for the season to end, Brazil and Abu Dhabi, and if the trend continues, the champion’s voracity could lead him to raise his ERA record to 16 wins. Great news for him and Red Bull, but without a doubt, very far from the outcome dreamed of by F1, which has not achieved its purpose of having a more competitive World Cup with minimal differences.