Carlos Sainz took a well deserved victory at the Mexico Grand Prix winning the race from pole position ahead of Lando Norris who made vital ground in the drivers championship on leader Max Verstappen.
Verstappen started the race on the front row and overtook Sainz heading to the first corner but a crash for Yuki Tsunodo brought out the safety car. After the restart Sainz swept past Verstappen as Norris looked to gain ground on the Red Bull.
The two title rivals tussled for position with Verstappen being very aggressive and forcing Norris off the track to maintain his position behind Sainz. It was one of two serious errors that caused the Red Bull driver to be penalised by 20-seconds which effectively forced him out of the race.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc safely positioned himself behind Sainz but lost second place to Norris in the closing stages and had to settle for third.
Relive the updates from the Mexican Grand Prix with The Independent:
F1 MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Carlos Sainz wins Mexico Grand Prix ahead of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc
- Norris wins latest clash with Verstappen as world title battle heats up again
- Sainz retakes lead as Verstappen hit with 20-second penalty
- Verstappen takes lead on first corner ahead of Carlos Sainz
What is the 2024 F1 calendar?
22:52 , Mike JonesROUND 21 - BRAZIL (sprint race)
Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo - 1-3 November
ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas Street Circuit - 21-23 November
ROUND 23 - QATAR (sprint race)
Lusail International Circuit, Lusail - 29 November - 1 December
ROUND 24 - ABU DHABI
Yas Marina Circuit - 6-8 December
Norris reacts to finishing second
22:45 , Mike JonesLando Norris pulled off a remarkable second place finish and gained 10-points in the world championship battle.
He said: “It was a very tough race. The first few laps a lot of it was just trying to stay in the race and avoid any crashes.
“Carlos drove a very good race so congratulations to Carlos and Ferrari, they were very quick today. I tried my best and a big thanks to all the fans, the fans make it very enjoyable here so big thank you to everyone.”
More from Sainz
22:37 , Mike JonesThe Mexico GP winner, Carlos Sainz, performed a superb overtake on Max Verstappen after losing the lead in the first lap. From there he never looked like losing the race.
On overtaking Verstappen he said: “I didn’t prepare to be honest. I was just a bit annoyed at the start having lost position to him and I said I need to surprise him one way or another, as he’s super difficult to pass, he’s proven it many many times.
“I was a bit far back but I said I’ve got nothing to lose I’m just going to send one down the inside, I’ve been confident in the braking to Turn One this weekend and I knew I could make it.”
Post race reaction from Carlos Sainz
22:30 , Mike JonesCarlos Sainz won his second race of the season in the Ferrari. He spoke to Sky Sports after the race saying: “It’s incredible to see this crowd, I’ve been feeling their support all week and I feel like I’ve got a lot of fan support here in Mexico and they’ve given me a lot of strength.
“Honestly I really wanted this one, I needed it for myself, I wanted to get it done, I’ve been saying for a while I wanted one more win before leaving Ferrari and to do it here in front of this mega crowd is incredible. Now four races left I want to enjoy as much as possible and if another one comes I will go for it.”
Lando Norris wins latest clash with Max Verstappen as world title battle heats up again
22:20 , Mike JonesLando Norris cut Max Verstappen’s world championship lead by 10 points after the Red Bull driver was handed 20 seconds in penalties as he forced his title rival off the track in a dramatic Mexican Grand Prix.
Norris drove a brilliant final stint to finish second in Mexico City, behind winner Carlos Sainz but crucially four places ahead of Verstappen as he cut the lead to 47 points with four races remaining and 120 points to play for.
Norris was demoted behind Verstappen after being penalised for overtaking his rival off the track in Austin last time out, with the controversial incident dominating the agenda throughout this weekend.
Norris wins latest clash with Verstappen as world title battle heats up again
‘Not enough’ Zak Brown addresses Verstappen’s penalties
22:10 , Mike JonesMcLaren boss Zak Brown was asked about Max Verstappen’s penalties during the race and he told Sky Sports: “Probably not enough.
“I mean, it’s getting a bit ridiculous. I applaud the FIA stewards. Enough is enough. Let’s just have some good clean racing moving forwards.
“I think the stewards are on it, I think that’s clear by the penalties that were given. The stewards did a good job this weekend.”
Ferrari making moves
22:03 , Mike JonesIn the constructors’ title fight, Ferrari are now up to second having jumped ahead of Red Bull. The Italian team are just 29 points off leaders McLaren with four races remaining.
This is a close one to call as well.
Norris cuts the gap on Verstappen
22:01 , Mike JonesLando Norris is now just 47 points behind Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship and could pull off a historic world title win if he keeps going at this rate.
There are four races left in the season, including extra points for sprint races in Brazil and Qatar. Could the McLaren pull this off?
Mexico Grand Prix leaderboard
21:58 , Mike JonesBottom half:
11. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
12. Franco Colapinto (Williams)
13. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
14. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
15. Zhou Guanyu (sauber)
16. Liam Lawson (RB)
17. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
DNF. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
DNF. Alex Albon (Williams)
DNF. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
Mexico Grand Prix leaderboard
21:55 , Mike JonesThe top 10 finishers:
1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
7. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
CARLOS SAINZ WINS MEXICO GRAND PRIX!
21:47 , Mike JonesCarlos Sainz controlled this race ever since retaking the lead from Max Verstappen. He crosses the line ahead of Lando Norris with Charles Leclerc finishing third.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell claimed fourth and fifth respectively and Max Verstappen came sixth.
Mexico Grand Prix: Leclerc going for fastest lap
21:44 , Mike JonesLap 70/71
Charles Leclerc pits with the intention of trying to get the fastest lap on soft tyres. Carlos Sainz has entered the final lap and should bring this home with ease.
It’ll be a win from pole for the Ferrari...
Mexico Grand Prix: Debris on the track
21:42 , Mike JonesLap 69/71
Sergio Perez is told that there’s some debris on the track at turn 12. Lando Norris is trying his best to close the gap on Carlos Sainz but there’s not enough time left in the race.
Two laps after this one and he needs to get almost 6 seconds back.
Mexico Grand Prix: Hamilton overtakes Russell!
21:39 , Mike JonesIt’s taken him a while but Lewis Hamilton finally gets his nose ahead of George Russell. Russell moves to the inside to try and cover the gap but Hamilton goes the long way round with DRS aiding him and takes fourth place.
He’s 30 seconds behind Charles Leclerc so a podium is out of the question unless something wild happens.
Mexico Grand Prix: ‘The wind has picked up'
21:35 , Mike JonesLando Norris warns that ‘the wind has picked up’ which usually means that rain is close. There’s only six laps to go in this race though which might not be enough time for him to gain enough ground on Carlos Sainz.
Mexico Grand Prix: Norris into second!
21:34 , Mike JonesLap 63/71
Charles Leclerc leaves it late to break heading into the final straight and goes off the track but avoids the wall. He gets back onto track but not before Lando Norris sweeps past him.
Norris might be thinking about hunting down Carlos Sainz now.
Mexico Grand Prix: Norris goes fastest!
21:32 , Mike JonesLando Norris is flying and sets the new fastest lap. He needs to get around Charles Leclerc to properly chip away at Max Verstappen’s championship lead.
Oscar Piastri has been told to get after Verstappen too. He’ll need to get around Kevin Magnussen first though.
Mexico Grand Prix: Norris vs Leclerc
21:31 , Mike JonesLap 61/71
With 10 laps to go in this race, Lando Norris wants to get himself up to second place but he’s got a lot of work to do against Charles Leclerc who is defending strongly.
Norris is chipping away at the time gap with Carlos Sainz safely out in front. Lewis Hamilton is still hounding George Russell and trying to edge in front of him.
Max Verstappen is lonely in sixth place, 11 seconds behind Hamilton.
Mexico Grand Prix: Norris making moves
21:27 , Mike JonesLap 59/71
Lando Norris reserved a bit of fuel and his tyre degradation. He goes around Liam Lawson, who he laps, and looks to target Charles Leclerc.
The Ferrari is now just a couple of seconds ahead. This could get tasty.
Mexico Grand Prix: Sainz wants Leclerc to ease up
21:21 , Mike JonesLap 54/71
Carlos Sainz believes the Ferraris are pushing too hard to keep the tyres in tact. He wants Charles Leclerc to ease up slightly and secure his spot at the front.
Lando Norris is under four seconds behind Leclerc now.
Mexico Grand Prix: Hamilton vs Russell
21:15 , Mike JonesLap 51/71
20 laps to go and Oscar Piastri is up to ninth. He’ll be hoping to attack the two Haas cars and perhaps put some pressure on Max Verstappen. Piastri’s tyres are 16 laps fresher than the Red Bull’s.
Lewis Hamilton has been given the okay to race against George Russell for fourth place. He’s just a second behind his teammate.
Mexico Grand Prix: Russell warns of rain
21:12 , Mike JonesGeorge Russell radios to Mercedes saying he can feel a small bit of rain. The weather could interrupt this race but there still isn’t any on the forecasts.
Lando Norris has just set a new fastest lap of the race. He’s edging closer to Charles Leclerc in second place.
Max Verstappen is complaining that he has ‘no grip’. He’s currently 10 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton and isn’t closing.
Mexico Grand Prix: ‘It’s getting dark'
21:05 , Mike JonesLap 42/71
“It’s getting really dark.” claims Max Verstappen. He’s assured that there is no rain due to hit the track before the end of this race.
Mexico Grand Prix: Verstappen gaining ground
21:03 , Mike JonesOscar Piastri goes into the pits and is out again within two seconds. That manoeuvre allows Max Verstappen to get up to sixth with just the Mercedes separating him from Lando Norris.
Norris may need to start putting pressure on the Ferraris.
Mexico Grand Prix: Sainz cruising, Norris struggling to gain
21:01 , Mike JonesLap 39/71
Lando Norris isn’t pushing too much in third place to close the gap on Charles Leclerc. He’s five seconds or so behind and seems to want to maintain his tyres for now.
Carlos Sainz is around eight seconds ahead of his Ferrari teammate. He seems to have the race well in hand at this stage.
Mexico Grand Prix: Hamilton goes past Piastri
20:59 , Mike JonesLewis Hamilton is up to fifth. He’s got the better tyres than Oscar Piastri and manages to get past the McLaren. His next target is Mercedes team mate George Russell.
Russell looks to have a damaged front wing. Can he stay ahead of Hamilton?
Mexico Grand Prix: Alonso out!
20:58 , Mike JonesFernando Alonso has pulled out of the race with a brake issue. Not what he would have wanted on his 400th F1 outing.
Mexico Grand Prix: Piastri under pressure
20:55 , Mike JonesLewis Hamilton is hunting down Oscar Piastri so the McLaren attempts to evade the danger. He sweeps around Liam Lawson but Hamilton overtakes the RB on the very next turn.
This is a good battle developing for fifth place.
Mexico Grand Prix: Sainz onto hard tyres
20:54 , Mike JonesLap 33/71
With the race not even halfway through yet, Carlos Sainz heads into pit lane to switch his tyres. George Russell is making moves and goes around Lawson into fourth.
Max Verstappen has been flying through the field and is back up to ninth place. He’s now focused on limiting this damage and closing the gap to Lando Norris.
Mexico Grand Prix: Norris boxes
20:52 , Mike JonesLando Norris heads into the pits and comes out on the hard tyres which should take him to the end of the race. He rejoins ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Liam Lawson.
Charles Leclerc is the first of the two Ferrari’s to head into the pitc lane, closer followed George Russell.
Sainz has the race lead comfortably and is now over 30 seconds ahead of his teammate.
Mexico Grand Prix: Verstappen pits
20:49 , Mike JonesLap 30/71
Max Verstappen has gone into the pit lane and served his penalty. He rejoins the race in 13th place, three places higher than teammate Sergio Perez.
This is a terrible result for Red Bull so far.
Mexico Grand Prix: Sainz leads Leclerc
20:44 , Mike JonesThe drivers have all been scrapping out there hoping to gain ground. Lando Norris is edging closer towards Max Verstappen and is beginning to think about an overtake.
Carlos Sainz leads Charles Leclerc by close to six seconds.
Mexico Grand Prix: Latest leaderboard
20:42 , Mike Jones1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
4. Lando Norrsi (McLaren)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
7. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
8. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
10. Liam Lawson (RB)
Mexico Grand Prix: Perez in the pits
20:40 , Mike JonesLap 22/71
Serigo Perez has gone into the pits as he’s carrying damage to the front of his car. George Russell has been informed of Max Verstappen’s 20-second penalty.
His repsonse: “Wow”.
Mexico Grand Prix: Verstappen hit with second 10 second penalty
20:36 , Mike JonesVerstappen has been hit with a second penalty. He needs to give up 20 seconds when he goes into the pits. That could drop him down to 10th.
Sergio Perez and Liam Lawson tussle with each other as the Mexican attempts to get ahead. No joy though.
Mexico Grand Prix: Verstappen hit with 10 second penalty
20:28 , Mike JonesThe world championship leader has been awarded a 10-second penalty which would put him below Lando Norris’ McLaren. This is now a tactical race.
Behind them, George Russell goes back ahead of Lewis Hamilton as the Mercedes are going head-to-head.
Mexico Grand Prix: Norris is fuming
20:24 , Mike Jones“He overtook off the track and forced me off!” cries Lando Norris over the incident with Max Verstappen. The stewards are looking at the incident and things might not turn out well for the Dutchman.
Meanwhile, the two Ferraris are leading this race.
Mexico Grand Prix: Norris challenges Verstappen
20:22 , Mike JonesIt’s heating up between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The McLaren tries to get ahead of the Red Bull and is forced off the track as Verstappen looks to cover the move.
Both cars then head off at the next turn with Charles Leclerc pulling through to take second place!
Mexico Grand Prix: Sainz retakes the lead!
20:21 , Mike JonesWonderful stuff at turn three from Carlos Sainz who weaves round the outside of Max Verstappen and pulls ahead of the Red Bull with the aid of DRS.
He sweeps through the turn to stay at of Verstappen.
“What can I do with an empty battery?” an angry Verstappen cries to his team.
Mexico Grand Prix: Ferrari have speed
20:18 , Mike JonesLap 7/71
Carlos Sainz quickly gained on Max Verstappen down the straight. He needs to stay within one second to keep within DRS range and potentially overtake the leader.
Lando Norris is a little further back.
Mexico Grand Prix: Five second penalty for Perez
20:16 , Mike JonesWord is filtering through that Sergio Perez has been issued with a five-second penalty for being too far forward in the grid box.
“Have a look, I don’t think we were!” he radios back to the team.
The safety car has departed with Max Verstappen restarting the race quickly.
Mexico Grand Prix: Perez under investigation
20:13 , Mike JonesIt seems as though Sergio Perez was slightly out of position in his grid box when the start occured which means he is likely to get penalised.
We’re into lap 5, four of which have happened under the safety car but it looks as though we’re about to get racing again.
Mexico Grand Prix: Safety car deployed
20:10 , Mike JonesThe safety car is out and the drivers are attempting to keep their tyres warm. There’s plenty of debris on the track which needs to be cleared away.
Sergio Perez gained five places but is being investigated for a false start.
Mexico Grand Prix: Verstappen takes the lead!
20:06 , Mike JonesMax Verstappen has had the perfect start to this race getting himself ahead of Carlos Sainz by the first turn. The safety car has come out after Tsunoda’s crash.
Alex Albon’s Williams has taken collateral damage too so he is out of the race as well.
Elsewhere Lewis Hamilton got ahead of teammate George Russell and is up to fifth.
Mexico Grand Prix: Green light! 🟢
20:04 , Mike JonesHere we go!
The green lights flare and the race begins. Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen fly off the line with the Ferrari edging ahead of the Red Bull as they approach the first turn.
Lando Norris, just behind them, starts well but can’t gain ground.
Verstappen gets in front of Sainz who heads off the track at the turn! Behind them Yuki Tsunoda’s RB is into the wall!
Mexico Grand Prix
19:57 , Mike JonesJust a few minutes until the Mexico Grand Prix gets underway. Carlos Sainz and Ferrari are hoping for another win after Chrales Leclerc’s victory in Austin.
Max Verstappen will be aiming to stay ahead of Lando Norris in their fight for the world title. The Dutchman starts on the front row so Norris has more work to do.
Behind them, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to make inroads and Sergio Perez, in his home Grand Prix, will want to sweep through the field and finish in the points after a poor qualifying session.
Let’s find out how it all plays out...
Perez on Red Bull issues
19:54 , Mike JonesSergio Perez has been having a horrible year for Red Bull but was hoping to put in a strong performance at his home race in Mexico. Following his Q1 exit, Perez opened up on the issues he’s been facing this season.
“We were just struggling too much with stopping the car,” he said. “For example into the low speed I cannot brake, I cannot stop the car, as soon as I attack the braking I start sliding, that is definitely my main issue at the moment.”
Verstappen starts on how the race will start:
19:51 , Mike Jones“I remember quite a few of them but every start is different, so you can’t really, it gives you an idea but at the end of the day you just have to act at what is in front of you and next to you during the actual start.”
On breaking the tow behind, he added: “Anything can happen, I don’t know. What’s important is to just try and get a good start yourself.
“The last two races we have not been particularly strong in the race and we didn’t really have a Friday so it’s very unknown what’s going to happen in the race that’s why I don’t really want to say that we can win the race today.”
Sainz speaks to Sky Sports
19:48 , Mike JonesCarlos Sainz spoke to Sky Sports on his biggest challenge to get the win today, he said: “I’ve been feeling very comfortable in the car, I feel like everything is working really well and I know how to drive it to extract maximum lap time.
“I honestly can’t wait for the race it will be an exciting one, especially on that run down to Turn One and an exciting race to do it.
“I do believe with starts there is a lot of preparation that goes into it especially for the launch and then when that happens a lot of it is down to instinct and you racing instinct that kicks in, I trust that in myself and hopefully we will make it work today.”
A milestone for Alonso
19:42 , Mike JonesFernando Alonso reaches another milestone at the Mexico City Grand Prix with his 400th Formula 1 appearance.
Almost time for the green light
19:35 , Mike JonesThe drivers are drinking in the atmosphere ahead of the race start. Will Max Verstappen extend his lead or can the Ferraris back up their victory from the US?
‘I’m losing all the time’ says Hamilton
19:28 , Mike Jones“I’m losing all the time, that’s why I’ve been so bad in qualifying all year, it’s a normal thing, I’m used to it,” Lewis Hamilton told Sky Sports after qualifying on Saturday evening.
“It doesn’t feel like it [gives me potential], we’ve done everything, we’ve worked so hard in the background, like everybody does, to get the car in a nice place, it was feeling good in P3, let’s not touch anything, all we changed was just the rear wing.
“It’s a drastic difference, every time I get to qualifying the car is completely different, I can’t pinpoint why, it is what it is, I hope I can strike a balance tomorrow.
“There’s so much to play for tomorrow, I’ll try and do a good job.”
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez on the crowd at his home grand prix:
19:21 , Mike Jones“It is an amazing feeling and makes me look back on my career and makes me feel extremely proud to have the best car in the world.
“It wasn’t an ideal place for it to happen but we will try and do everything today and hopefully we can score some points.”
F1 Driver Standings
19:21 , Mike JonesA reminder of how the top of the driver standings looks as we approach the start of the Mexico GP.
1 - Max Verstappen - 354pts
2 - Lando Norris - 297pts
3 - Charles Leclerc - 275pts
4 - Oscar Piastri - 247pts
5 - Carlos Sainz - 215pts
McLaren lose bid to have Lando Norris penalty overturned following Max Verstappen incident
19:14 , Mike JonesMcLaren have failed in their bid to overturn Lando Norris’ penalty from the United States Grand Prix.
The team invoked a “right of review”, asking the stewards to look again at the turn 12 incident in Austin, where Norris was handed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage while overtaking Max Verstappen in the closing stages.
That demoted the British driver below his title rival as the Dutchman extended his championship lead to 57 points.
McLaren lose bid to have Norris penalty overturned following Verstappen incident
Ocon starts from the pits
19:11 , Mike JonesEsteban Ocon was knocked out in Q1 on Saturday so Alpine have taken the chance to change the battery pack under parc ferme conditions.
That results in a pit lane start for the Frenchman. Less than an hour to go until the green light.
Martin Brundle calls for F1 rule change after Norris and Verstappen clash
19:07 , Mike JonesMartin Brundle believes F1 needs to change its driver guidelines after a clash between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen at the US Grand Prix.
The two title contenders were involved in a controversial incident on lap 52. Norris overtook Verstappen outside the racetrack before being hit with a five-second penalty, demoting the Brit to fourth and elevating the Red Bull driver to the podium.
“As far as I’m concerned, the six-page Guidelines (therefore not regulations), which have been signed off by the FIA, the drivers’ association (GPDA), and the teams, are a blueprint to dissuade overtaking, especially around the outside,” Brundle said, in his Sky Sports column.
“There are key reference points that are hard to define for both drivers and stewards, such as where exactly is the apex of any given corner across the entire width of the track, along with specific front axle and car mirror positions in a fast-moving event such as a racing overtake.
“I don’t know what happened to the ‘let them race’ approach from a while back which worked reasonably well.”
Norris ‘not at’ Verstappen’s level
19:00 , Mike JonesLando Norris has admitted he is not at the same level of Max Verstappen as the two men attempt to win the Forumla 1 world title.
Norris said: “Max is the best in the world in this style of defence and attacking. So I have to be at his level and at the moment I am not quite at the level I need to be at.
“It’s a shame to say, but it’s probably the truth. At the same time, it’s a chance for me to learn and progress.”
Sergio Perez’s F1 clock is ticking – and impact on Mexico Grand Prix future could be huge
18:50 , Mike JonesIt is difficult to remember the last time Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull was not under intense scrutiny and pressure. Perhaps at the start of this season, after four podiums in the first five races, and with the stance of Christian Horner’s juggernaut as the sport’s No 1 outfit on track in no doubt at all. Now though, the sands have shifted.
With five races left in 2024, Red Bull are second in the constructors’ championship: 40 points off McLaren in first but just eight points ahead of Ferrari in third. Max Verstappen, chasing a fourth-straight drivers’ title, has accrued over 70% of Red Bull’s points himself. Perez, however, is a mammoth 204 points behind his teammate, languishing eighth in the individual table.
It is, by far, the biggest margin between teammates in the sport. Yet still, the 34-year-old remains in his post ahead of his home race in Mexico City this weekend. His 2021 podium at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with his adoring father watching on, is undoubtedly a career highlight.
Perez’s F1 clock is ticking – and impact on Mexico Grand Prix future could be huge
