Mexico – Race: Verstappen in solitude, funny title for Hamilton!

As if it were obvious, the lineup was not lacking excitement in Mexico City, the setting for the seventeenth round of this season. History was looming at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, filled with its 100,000 spectators. And for a good reason! With a wide statistical lead ahead of him, Lewis Hamilton could seal the deal after the 71 laps of the race. A place in the top five was enough for the Mercedes driver to clinch a fourth world championship title and thus join Sebastian Vettel as a benchmark in the field.

Precisely, the first opponent of the Englishman was none other than the spearhead of Ferrari. After a fiercely contested pole, Sebastian Vettel had given himself a chance to resist. Alongside him on the front row, Max Verstappen was ready to shake things up, in front of the main protagonist.

The rest of the grid was led by Valtteri Bottas, ahead of Kimi Räikkönen and Esteban Ocon, an impressive sixth. The two Renaults occupied the fourth row, Hülkenberg ahead of Sainz. Sergio Pérez, the local hero, only started in ninth position. The traditional penalties this time affected Ricciardo, Hartley, Alonso, and Vandoorne, from 16th to 19th place. Last, Pierre Gasly hoped to rack up laps after a nightmarish start to the weekend. The Frenchman completed a warm-up lap on a low-abrasion track.

What an introduction!

The first turning point of the race emerged right from the start! The battle of the chiefs turned into a brawl. 890 meters after the lights went out, the top three on the grid approached the first corner side by side. Verstappen delayed his braking to the maximum to dive inside. Jackpot for the Dutchman: forced to lift his foot, the Ferrari driver watched as Hamilton also passed on the inside.

What could the Ferrari driver have thought at that moment? He immediately tried to regain his position. Squeezed onto the kerb, Hamilton didn’t pick up enough speed at the exit of the sequence. The two title contenders collided! The damage was significant on both sides. Broken wing for the Ferrari, flat tire for the Mercedes, each returned to their pit at low speed. Both opted for the soft compound.

Max Verstappen had just lost his two main rivals for the victory. In this joyful chaos, Bottas and Ocon also made a good deal by moving up to P2 and P3. Behind them, Hülkenberg, Pérez, and Räikkönen. Ricciardo, meanwhile, disappeared from the standings due to a turbo failure. Second retirement for the Australian in seven days!

But the focus was still on the top two of the general standings. Dropped to 18th, Vettel couldn’t contain his frustration after a tricky overtake on Felipe Massa. On the 20th lap, Hamilton was still stuck in 19th position, the last on the track! Strangely slow, the Englishman was up against Carlos Sainz, who had also pitted from the first lap. Gloomy faces at Mercedes: to top it off, Max Verstappen lapped driver 44! Valtteri Bottas did the same on the 25th lap. Very low in pure performance, the soft tires didn’t help matters!

LAP 22/71

BLUE FLAG: Time for HAM to let VER pass #MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/Qh5vqajw4s

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 29

Hamilton powerless!

On the strategy side, the timing of the first pit stop wave varied among the different challengers. Esteban Ocon hurried into the pit lane as early as the 21st lap. In contrast, Verstappen and Bottas extended their first stint. Just like Kimi Räikkönen, who had been discreet since the start of the Grand Prix. Once again unlucky, Nico Hülkenberg retired from the race on the 26th lap due to yet another engine problem.

The German from Renault watched as a spectator to another engine failure, this time Brendon Hartley’s on his Toro Rosso. This incident prompted the deployment of the virtual safety car. Verstappen, Bottas, and Räikkönen took the opportunity to make their first pit stop. Also coming through his pit, Lewis Hamilton put on the super-soft tires. Meanwhile, Vettel opted for a more aggressive setup: the ultra-softs. In eighth place, the four-time world champion was the hunter. Magnussen succumbed without a shadow of a doubt.

Still in the lead, Verstappen was untroubled. With a cushion of an 11-second lead, the Dutchman firmly held the reins of the Grand Prix. The two hot spots? The battle for the podium between Räikkönen and Ocon and Vettel’s comeback. But the Frenchman lost big during the VSC. On the same tires, he was thirteen seconds behind the 2007 world champion. Frustrating!

Sadly this means RAI gets a free stop and rejoins ahead of Esteban 😡 #MexicoGP #PinkPanthers

— Sahara Force India (@ForceIndiaF1) October 29

Vettel’s last stand

Sebastian Vettel put on a show in the final part of the race. On lap 51, the former Red Bull leader firmly got past Sergio Pérez. The Mexican consoled himself with ultrasoft tires and a free pit stop. The second place, the last chance for the title, was unreachable: exactly 46 seconds away. For the beauty of the gesture, the chase continued, and Stroll, an impressive fifth, could not withstand the attack. Not yet satisfied, the number 5 overtook Ocon and secured P4.

On his side, Hamilton was in tenth place, having successively overtaken Vandoorne’s McLaren and Massa’s Williams. The Briton was (finally) in the points with fifteen laps to go. Concerned, his team nevertheless informed him that the title was within reach. Vettel was losing hope given the magnitude of the task.

As if symbolically, Alonso offered Hamilton one last challenge. Beautiful images and a tough defense from his former McLaren teammate. The Spaniard poured all his pride into a duel ultimately lost on the 69th lap. The final action, in sum, of a Grand Prix with a spectacular start.

On the 71st lap, Max Verstappen crossed the line as the winner! The Red Bull driver was unchallenged: he secured his second victory of the season. But cameras quickly turned to the battle for ninth place.

INITIAL CLASSIFICATION (LAP 71/71): A third win for @Max33Verstappen 💪 #MexicoGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/Aqjin39k8V

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 29

Lewis Hamilton becomes a four-time Formula 1 world champion! After the chaos at the start, the joy of a new title for the Briton, who claims his third crown for Mercedes!

Sebastian Vettel is no longer alone at the top of the current Formula 1 field. In history, Lewis Hamilton joins an exclusive circle of three drivers, completed by Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher.

The Mexico stadium could then cheer for its heroes. Lewis Hamilton savored the moment with a flurry of wild donuts. The champion’s salsa!