MEXICO CITY –
Max Verstappen stretched his lead over Lewis Hamilton within the Components One season championship with a dominant victory Sunday on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, and Pink Bull teammate Sergio Perez completed third to change into the primary Mexican driver to achieve the rostrum within the historical past of the race.
Verstappen, who began third after struggling in qualifying, now leads Hamilton by 19 factors with 4 races left within the season. Hamilton completed second and needed to combat off Perez on the finish to carry on there.
Verstappen earned his ninth win of the season, second in a row and third profession victory in Mexico Metropolis. The 24-year-old Dutchman is chasing his first profession championship.
Hamilton is looking for a document eighth title, together with the final 4 in a row. The British driver is at present tied with Michael Schumacher for many in F1 historical past.
Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas pulled an enormous shock in qualifying when the Mercedes teammates earned their first front-row lockout of the season. Bottas was on pole, Hamilton second and Verstappen and Perez in third and fourth.
Their benefit did not final by the primary nook.
Verstappen bolted off his line firstly and used the slip stream behind Bottas to grab the lead into the primary nook. Bottas, in the meantime, acquired tapped by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and his automotive spun, dropping him to the again.
That left Hamilton in a Pink Bull sandwich: Verstappen in entrance and Perez proper behind, with Bottas not in play to assist him defend his place.
And barely a 3rd into the race, Verstappen was zooming off into the space and Hamilton discovered himself in a determined race with Perez to maintain the important championship factors wanted to maintain Verstappen nearby over the ultimate month of the season.
The house crowd roared when Perez briefly led after Hamilton and Verstappen pitted for brand new tires. That made him the primary Mexican driver to steer the Mexico grand prix in race historical past. Perez earned a 3rd straight podium end for the primary time in his profession.
