MEXICO CITY – Max Verstappen booked Formula one Sunday’s record for a single-season win at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where he scored his 14th win to break a record shared with Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
Schumacher set the record in 2004, Vettel set the record in 2013, and Verstappen drew with the German over the course of a week following his win last week at the Circuit of the Americas. Combined with victories in Miami, Montreal and now Mexico City, Verstappen swept the North American portion of this year F1 schedule.
The Dutchman retains his F1 world title with four races left of the season, claiming the constructors’ championship for Red Bull with three races left of the season, and two races left. race to completely break the record of winning in a season.
Red Bull has now won nine races in a row, tightening the team’s record set in 2013. The team has won 16 of 21 F1 races this season with Verstappen and Sergio Perez, winners. won in Monaco and Singapore.
Lewis Hamilton finished second for the second week in a row. He could have had a shot in his first win of the season but Mercedes misplaced the tire change call that put Verstappen in control.
Perez finished third on his home circuit for the second year in a row – receiving shrill cheers despite the Mexican driver yet to win the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Perez was adored by fans who loved him all week when he returned. It started with a demonstration run in his hometown of Guadalajara before he reached the circuit, where Perez was packed with crowds as soon as he entered the paddock.
He has to use a reverse route to get to the Red Bull garage every session on the track because drivers and teams complain most weekends that spectators have bought parking access too much. aggressive.
But the fans love their hometown racers and before the race, Perez circled the track in the back of a Volkswagen convertible. He often holds his hand to his heart to show his appreciation to more than 120,000 fans.
“Honestly, it’s unbelievable,” Perez told the crowd in Spanish after the race. “Thank you for all the support you have given me this weekend. You are amazing, the most amazing fan base. Thank you.”
The three-day weekend sold out in two minutes earlier this year, and a three-day audience count of 395,902 broke the mark set last year of 371,779. F1 also said before the race that it had extended its contract with the race – often voted the most popular by fans – to 2025.
The day went to Verstappen, who started from the pole and won for the 34th time in his career. He took the lead at the start as Hamilton overtook teammate George Russell for second and Perez also overtook Russell.
Hamilton could have raced to win and was in the lead when he pitted and Mercedes opted for a stiffer, more durable tire compound. Verstappen had a lighter and faster tire, and Hamilton lacked the pace to challenge for victory.
Hamilton has two more chances to avoid the first winless season of his career.
Pierre Gassly, meanwhile, earned two more penalty points for running Lance Stroll off the track and the Frenchman is now just one point away from a one-race suspension.
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