Red Bull’s Max Verstappen holds off Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton in Mexico to secure victory

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the chequered flag at the Mexican Grand Prix at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez to take a record-breaking 14th race victory of the season, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in second, and home favourite Sergio Perez in third.

The victory for the Dutchman sees him break the record for most race wins in a single season, which was previously held by both Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013).

Verstappen started the race on pole position ahead of both of the Mercedes drivers, who both were unexpectedly quick in qualifying on Saturday. George Russell lined up alongside the Dutchman on the front row, with Hamilton behind in P3.

Sergio Perez, who was looking to become the first Mexican driver to win at his home race, started in fourth.

The race started well for the Dutchman, who led into turn one. Russell lost out on the first lap, as his eagerness to get past the Red Bull cost him two places as both Hamilton and Perez got past on the run down into turn four.

Both Red Bull drivers opted to start the race on used soft tyres, whereas Mercedes told theirs to start on fresh mediums. It made the dynamic of the first stint very interesting, as both Hamilton and Russell anticipated early stops for the Red Bulls.

That idea did not quite go to plan, as Verstappen managed to stay out longer than expected. He pitted for mediums on Lap 25 – two laps after his team-mate. He came back out in third.

Despite being on mediums, Hamilton pitted from the lead on lap 30 for a set of hard tyres as Mercedes tried their hand with the one-stop strategy. His team-mate, Russell, reported good pace on his worn mediums and extended his stint to lap 34 before coming in, also for hards.

The race then became one that was fixated on strategy for the remaining 40 laps. The Mercedes pit wall anticipated both Red Bulls having to opt for the two-stop strategy as they believed the medium tyres on Verstappen and Perez’s cars would not last until the end of the Grand Prix.

That assumption proved to be short-sighted, as Verstappen managed his tyres to perfection to take the chequered flag 15 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who finished second. Perez also managed his tyres well to secure a podium at his home race.

Russell finished in P4, and secured an extra point for the fastest lap after pitting for softs with two laps remaining.

The result sees Perez move just two points behind second-placed Charles Leclerc in the driver’s championship with two races remaining.

DRIVER OF THE DAY – Daniel Ricciardo

The McLaren driver made up for a lapse in judgement on Lap 51 which saw him hit the rear-right tyre of Yuki Tsunoda going for a gap into turn 6 that wasn’t there. The incident resulted in the Japanese driver having to retire from the race with suspension damage, and the stewards decided to hand the Australian a ten-second time penalty.

The strategy choice from McLaren, which saw Ricciardo stay out on the medium tyres until Lap 46, went in their favour as it meant that he was able to push for the final stint and catch cars around him to offset the penalty.

The scenario that he found himself in brought back glimpses of the Ricciardo of old, as he made some key overtakes on track to move up to sevent. He managed to extend the gap to the car behind him to over ten seconds, and that meant that when he crossed the line, the penalty had no effect on his finishing position.

WHERE THE RACE WAS WON AND LOST

LAP 1/71 – We are underway here at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez! The five lights go out as the drivers take the long straight on the run down to the first corner! Verstappen gets the better start and leads! Hamilton manages to squeeze past his team-mate into Turn 2 and he gets it done! Perez eventually gets past Russell into Turn 3 and is into third!

LAP 25/71 – VERSTAPPEN PITS FROM LEAD – The race leader is finally in for his stop as the Red Bull mechanics fit a set of medium tyres. He emerges back out in front of the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, and now he is a whole pit stop ahead of the Prancing Horses. The Dutchman is in P3.

LAP 30/71 – HAMILTON PITS – Hamilton has opted to come in from the lead and ditch his mediums for a fresh set of hards, which suggests that he is going for the one-stop strategy. He comes back out in P3, and crucially, ahead of Perez in the sister Red Bull. Let’s see just how long it takes for the harder compound to get up to temperature.

LAP 51/71 – CONTACT! – Ricciardo spots the smallest of gaps on the inside of Turn 6 trying to get past Tsunoda, and there isn’t enough space and he hits the AlphaTauri! Tsunoda’s car is airborne for a few seconds, and there is damage on the sidepod and the right-rear suspension. Unfortunately, Tsunoda will have to retire the car. Riccardo is slapped with a 10-second time penalty.

LAP 70/71 – RUSSELL TRIES TO GO FOR FASTEST LAP – Russell in P4 who was over 20 seconds ahead of Sainz, has accepted that he will not catch Perez ahead of him, and has convinced the team to pit for a set of scrub softs to go for the fastest lap of the race for that extra championship point.

LAP 71/71 – VERSTAPPEN WINS MEXICAN GRAND PRIX – A stunning victory for Verstappen, who drove with ease during this second stint to secure another win. His 14th of the season – which is a new record! Hamilton is 15s down the road in P2, and Perez also finishes on the podium in P3.

OVERTAKE OF THE DAY

LAP 42/71 – That is the best overtake of the race so far! Ocon, who has DRS down the main straight, gets past Bottas into Turn 1 around the outside of the corner! That is a brilliant move and he is up to P10.