Summary
Lando Norris dominated the Mexican Grand Prix. His start was flawless. He then kept up the pace and made McLaren's advantage final. Meanwhile, brief chaos ensued behind him. That led to damage, a penalty and strategic choices that further determined the outcome.
The crucial start
Norris started excellently. He braked slightly back to neutralise the slipstream effect of trailing cars and blocked the inside line. This kept Lewis Hamilton behind him and allowed him to gain speed immediately. In this way, he immediately converted his big qualifying advantage into control in the race.
Friction between top teams
The start created a tight situation between Ferrari and Red Bull. Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen touched briefly when one of the Red Bulls was on the kerb. The damage was limited, but the position quickly changed. Verstappen and Leclerc gave each other space moments later so Norris retained the lead.
The Hamilton-Verstappen incident
Soon after, things escalated between Hamilton and Verstappen. There were several duels on the lap after. Verstappen put in a late brake action, the wheels hit each other and Hamilton drove a bit through the exit lane. According to the rules, Hamilton had to give back the position. As another driver took advantage at the same time, Hamilton refused to give back two spots. Race control gave him a 10-second penalty time at his pit stop. That penalty ended up costing him many places in the pack.
Strategy and links
Tyre choice and stints determined the course of the middle group. Many teams started on the soft tyre. Verstappen had chosen medium and therefore struggled with less grip in the first stint. He had to drive long so his second stint on soft tyres would not be too long.
Norris was given his soft tyres for 35 laps. That was well longer than many competitors. This allowed McLaren to control the race and drive freely. Red Bull dared Verstappen to come in late, allowing him to attack and overtake with fresh soft tyres in the closing stages.
Notable achievements
One of the surprises was Ollie Bearman in the Haas. He started from far up front and was in an excellent position in the early stages. He managed to pass several fast drivers and rode along in the front group for a long time. Oscar Piastri also stayed in character behind his strong teammate Norris and lost a lot of time due to traffic and the wrong moments to attack.
Key moments in a nutshell
- Norris makes a perfect start and quickly builds a lead.
- Ferrari and Red Bull hit each other briefly in the opening stages.
- Hamilton and Verstappen have a slide, Hamilton gets 10s penalty.
- Bearman drives a strong race and settles into the top five.
- Strategies with soft versus medium tyres decide the positions between them.
- Two laps before the end, a stopped car causes a VSC and inhibits overtaking.
The closing stages and the VSC
In the closing stages, Verstappen advanced strongly towards Leclerc. Piastri also fought his way to the front. But two laps before the end, Carlos Sainz had to put his car alongside the track. That triggered a Virtual Safety Car. That situation reduced the space and speed of the attackers. As a result, the hunt for podium places stagnated.
Results and consequences
Norris won with almost half a minute's lead. He cleverly controlled the race and kept his tyre management in good order. With this victory, he takes the lead in the world championship. For Hamilton, the race had a bitter aftertaste due to the penalty and lost places. Verstappen and Leclerc fought until the end, but could not threaten Norris.
The race in Mexico showed how important starts, tyre management and team strategy are. A perfect start and consistent pace can completely define a race.
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