Carlos Sainz seals victory in thrilling Mexico City Grand Prix

October 27th

Carlos Sainz secured his fourth career win at the Mexican Grand Prix (October 27) after an intense battle at the front.

The Ferrari driver capitalised on a bold move early in the race to claim victory, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in second and teammate Charles Leclerc in third.

Reflecting on the significance of the win, Sainz, who will leave Ferrari for Williams next season, said:

"I really wanted this one; I needed it for myself. I’ve been saying I wanted one more win before leaving Ferrari, and to do it here, in front of this mega crowd, is incredible."

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen initially got the jump on Sainz, beating him to Turn 1 with a strong start. However, a collision between Alexander Albon and Yuki Tsunoda on the opening lap brought out the safety car, shuffling the order.

Once racing resumed at the end of lap 6, Sainz wasted no time and on lap 9, dived down the inside at Turn 1 to retake the lead.

"I didn’t prepare it," Sainz admitted. "I was just annoyed at the start that Max passed me, and I knew I had to surprise him. I thought, ‘I have nothing to lose,’ so I sent it down the inside and felt confident on the brakes."

With the lead secured, Sainz drove away and remained unchallenged for the rest of the race.

Norris ran a brilliant race to secure second place, continuing McLaren’s impressive resurgence. He faced one of the toughest challenges of the day when battling with Verstappen, who forced him wide at Turn 4. The aggressive defence earned Verstappen a 10-second penalty for forcing Norris off the track​.

A few corners later, Verstappen attempted another aggressive move on the inside of Norris at Turn 8, again forcing Norris off track while himself leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage. This second offense earned the Dutchman another 10-second penalty.

Despite the close calls, Norris kept his cool, and stressed that his respect for Verstappen remained unchanged.

"I knew what to expect," Norris said after the race. "I didn’t want to expect such a thing because I respect Max a lot as a driver, but I was ready. It wasn’t very clean driving, in my opinion, but overall, it was still a good race."

Leclerc finished third but encountered challenges throughout the race. On lap 63, he lost control of his Ferrari and narrowly avoided crashing into the barriers, allowing Norris a clear path to second.

Ferrari made a smart strategic call by pitting Leclerc for fresh tires near the end, enabling him to set the fastest lap and earn an extra point. The bonus point proved crucial, as it helped Ferrari leapfrog Red Bull in the Constructors' standings.

"I think third was the best we could achieve today," Leclerc admitted. "Carlos did an amazing job, and overall, it was a positive weekend for the team."

Mercedes' Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell treated fans to a thrilling intra-team battle, with the two Mercedes drivers running nose-to-tail for much of the race. Hamilton gained position early but surrendered it to Russell soon after. Their fight escalated throughout the race, culminating in Hamilton overtaking Russell on lap 66 at Turn 1 to secure fourth place, while Russell finished fifth.

Despite starting on the front row, Verstappen's day unravelled due to the two penalties that cost him valuable positions. Reflecting on the penalties, Verstappen said: "At the end of the day, the penalties are what they are, whether you agree with them or not."

The reigning champion finished sixth, unable to recover from the penalties that derailed his race.

Teammate Sergio Pérez's home race ended in frustration after a false start. The home hero thrilled the crowd with a lightning-fast start, gaining five positions within the opening laps. However, his momentum was halted when he received a five-second penalty for a jump start. Stewards determined that Pérez’s car was slightly ahead of the correct grid position, giving him an advantage​.

The penalty undermined what could have been a redemption drive for Pérez, whose form has been under scrutiny in recent races. Starting 18th on the grid, but he could only manage 17th after the penalty.

Despite the disappointment, the crowd remained behind their local hero, cheering him on throughout the race.

Ferrari’s victory sees them overtake Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship standings. Ferrari now sits second with 537 points, while McLaren leads with 566. Red Bull, meanwhile, drops to third with 512 points.

In the Drivers' Championship, Norris has narrowed the gap to Verstappen to 47 points, with 315 points to the Dutchman’s 362.

Only four race weekends remain before the end of the season. 

Formula One now heads to Brazil for the São Paulo Grand Prix, running from November 1-3.