(Mexico) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) insatiable! The three-time world champion won the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix and thus broke his record for the number of victories in a season, Sunday at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The Dutchman, who beat the Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and the Monegasque Charles Ferrari (Ferrari), thus won his 16e victory in 19 races in 2023 and improved on its previous mark set last season.
Verstappen also signed the 51e success of his career, joining Frenchman Alain Prost as fourth among the most victorious drivers in F1 history. He also got closer to third, the German Sebastian Vettel (53 victories). However, he is still far from the 103 victories of Hamilton, still active, and the 91 of the German Michael Schumacher.
“We are having an incredible season. We only started third but today the pace in the race was very, very good. The next objective will be a 17e victory this year,” said the Red Bull driver.
On Sunday, the Dutchman, who started in third position, took control from the first corner of the race and then managed the events to perfection, including a second start on the grid after a red flag following a violent exit from the track. Dane Kevin Magnussen (Haas), whose car saw its left rear suspension break.
PHOTO RAQUEL CUNHA, REUTERS
Max Verstappen
Hamilton, who had not scored a single point in the last two GPs after going off the track in Qatar and being disqualified in the United States last weekend, did the right thing of the day by finishing second.
“It’s a great result because I started in sixth position. The last two Grands Prix were difficult so I want to say a big congratulations to the team for being able to bounce back,” underlined the Briton.
Pérez big loser
The seven-time world champion has taken 18 points from the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull), who is still ahead of him by 20 points in the race for second place in the championship. The local hero’s race lasted only a few seconds on Sunday as he collided with Leclerc at the first corner and was forced to retire, to the great dismay of his tens of thousands of fans.
PHOTO FERNANDO LLANO, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico, front, collides with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco.
“I took a risk, it didn’t work out unfortunately. I am very sad that my Grand Prix ended like this. It’s the worst thing that could have happened to me. I was in front of Charles [Leclerc]I didn’t expect him to brake so late because he had little room to maneuver…” Pérez told Canal+.
Leclerc, who started from pole position for the fourth time this season, was unable to resist the elusive Verstappen at the first corner, and despite the collision with Pérez which damaged his front wing, he nevertheless managed to grab a new podium.
“I had nowhere to go, I was stuck between the two Red Bulls and unfortunately I hit “Checo” and my car was damaged. I am sorry that his race ended like that,” explained the Monegasque to whistles from the public.
Carlos Sainz finished fourth with the second Ferrari, ahead of the whirling Briton Lando Norris (McLaren), author of a superb comeback from 17e at 5e place.
His compatriot George Russell (Mercedes) finished in sixth place, ahead of two Australians, the brave Daniel Ricciardo, who had a great race at the wheel of his AlphaTauri, and Oscar Piastri (McLaren).
Aston Martin, in difficulties for several weeks, once again experienced a nightmarish Sunday with the retirement of the Spaniard Fernando Alonso and the Canadian Lance Stroll, hit by the Finn Valtteri Bottas (Alfa-Romeo) at the end of the race on the day of his 25e birthday.
Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine), one last time after a failed start, took tenth place, just ahead of his teammate and compatriot Pierre Gasly.