Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed a report 14th victory of the Formulation One season by profitable the Mexico Grand Prix on Sunday. World champion Verstappen completed a cushty 15.186 seconds forward of Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes whereas Verstappen’s Pink Bull teammate Sergio Perez completed third on residence soil. It was the second win inside every week for Dutchman Verstappen, who additionally triumped at the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
Verstappen has now crushed the report beforehand held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel for probably the most wins in a single season.
“It has been an unbelievable 12 months to this point, we’re undoubtedly having fun with it and we’ll attempt to go for extra (victories),” stated Verstappen.
Hamilton lamented his workforce’s resolution to decide on medium after which onerous tyre compounds whereas Verstappen went from softs to medium.
“I used to be shut within the first stint, however the Pink Bulls have been too quick immediately and so they most likely had the appropriate tyre technique,” Hamilton stated.
Perez was cheered loudly by a sell-out crowd.
“Sadly, it did not work out immediately, however it’s nice to get third place right here and be on the rostrum,” Perez stated.
George Russell completed a pissed off fourth for Mercedes, however clocked the quickest lap forward of the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, each unable to seek out the tempo to make any affect on the main quartet.
Daniel Ricciardo was seventh for McLaren, after a mid-race collision for which he was given a 10-second time penalty, forward of Esteban Ocon of Alpine, Lando Norris within the second McLaren and Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo.
Because the lights went out, Verstappen made a near-perfect begin from pole place whereas, behind him, Hamilton fought his well beyond Russell to take second.
To the delight of his followers, Perez additionally handed Russell to take third.
After lap one, the Dutchman held a lead of 1.39 seconds which he gently prolonged to 1.6 by lap 10 and a couple of.2 by lap 20 because the leaders ran in constant formation, the race solely punctuated by Stroll taking the primary pit cease on lap 18.
Verstappen reported his tender tyres have been deteriorating shortly earlier than Perez got here in after 23 laps to modify from tender to medium compounds, however his cease was hampered by a sticky rear wheel change and took 5 seconds.
He re-joined sixth.
Two laps later, Verstappen got here out and in in 2.5 seconds, passing the result in Hamilton, who was 5.5 seconds away from Russell because the Dutchman re-joined third behind him.
Hamilton got here in on lap 30 to modify to hards and re-joined third, Russell taking up as chief till lap 35, when he additionally pitted to take onerous tyres. He got here again in fourth and the main group have been again as they’d been.
– Tyre turmoil –
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