Max Verstappen puts title in sight after cruising to Mexican F1 GP triumph

Exultant in victory, Max Verstappen revelled in his success at the Mexican Grand Prix. He was clearly aware of the significance of the achievement. From third on the grid he beat Lewis Hamilton into second place and the win crashed with thunderous import across the championship, his joy surely informed by the knowledge that he has opened a 19-point lead that leaves Hamilton facing a huge challenge to overcome in the title fight, with only four more races to come.

In front of a capacity crowd of 140,000 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Verstappen definitively gave notice he has no intention of buckling under pressure in what is the tightest inter-team championship since the turbo-hybrid era began in 2014.

In front after taking the lead at the opening corner, the 24-year-old delivered with the calm assurance of a veteran, rather than a young man in the first championship fight of his career. His Red Bull teammate, Sergio Pérez, finished third, becoming the first Mexican on the podium at his home race.

The race was far from a thriller with Verstappen unchallenged out in front and delivering another clinical performance of the kind that has defined much of his tilt for the title this season. It builds on the momentum he established with his victory at the US Grand Prix and, much as Mercedes and Hamilton had tried to take the fight to Red Bull on a track where they had expected to be under the cosh, they could not prevent another triumph for the Dutchman, who even dared to suggest, ominously, it had been almost a breeze.

“There was incredible pace in the car so I could just do my own thing,” a beaming Verstappen said. “It was quite straightforward today, which was really nice.”

Hamilton conceded he knew he was facing a herculean endeavour to catch the Dutchman. “With their superior speed if they were to carry that into the next races we will be in trouble,” he said. “I feel we need to be winning every race because we need those extra points but they are just too quick. We are giving it everything we have got but it’s not enough at the moment to compete with them.”

There was nothing Mercedes could do strategically in a straight one-stopper and where they were so comprehensively outpaced. Indeed Hamilton had to push hard at the close just to maintain second place from a charging Pérez. The result was this enthralling championship swinging very much Verstappen’s way while Hamilton and Mercedes are running out of opportunities to turn it around.

Verstappen had a 12-point lead on Hamilton going into the race and he and his Red Bull team were hopeful that, with favourable track and weather conditions, he might extend it to put clear daylight between him and the reigning champion. They did so with aplomb.

The lead is not yet unassailable but it is certainly intimidatingly large. It has swung between the two drivers all season and after 18 races predicting who will come out on top remains a foolhardy exercise. But Hamilton knows the scale of the task ahead, more clearly than ever after Red Bull exhibited the control that they did on Sunday.

Verstappen’s Red Bull team were expected to dominate in Mexico but, when Hamilton’s teammate, Valtteri Bottas, and he took a one-two in qualifying, an upset from out of nowhere seemed suddenly on the cards. Yet Red Bull and Verstappen, with great race pace, were able to focus on delivering with the flawless execution they know will be required to take a title that may yet go to the wire. On Sunday his team managed to enjoy the advantage that had been expected on the circuit, which favours their engine and high-rake design, and Verstappen was ruthless with his tools.

The opening seconds were crucial, of course . At the off Verstappen took a slipstream from third on the grid behind the two Mercedes drivers. The Dutchman bravely braked late as they went wide, going round the outside to take the lead through turn one. It was a bold move handled with great finesse, deservedly putting him in front and decisive for the win.

Verstappen held his lead after a safety car restart on lap five and promptly exploited it, opening a two-second gap by lap eight. He was putting in a series of repeatedly quick laps over the world champion and establishing a control he did not relinquish.

“These guys are obviously too fast for us,” Hamilton told his team on lap 24 as the reality of how strong Red Bull were became painfully clear.

By the time the leaders began their pitstops Verstappen was nine seconds in front as Hamilton came in on lap 30. With their only stops completed and a clear pace differential Verstappen was untouchable out front.

On rails he maintained the gap to Hamilton who could not dent the lead and had to focus on maintaining his place in front of Pérez who was enjoying fresher rubber through the closing stages. It was a tense 10 laps as Hamilton’s car was overheating but he held on to claim second-place points.

Bottas took the fastest lap to deny Verstappen one extra point but the damage was done as the Dutchman closed out the race with cool authority, a full 16 seconds up the road against a rival impotent to challenge him. The fight is still on but Hamilton leaves Mexico with no doubt as to the scale of the task ahead.

Pierre Gasly was fourth for AlphaTauri with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in fifth and sixth for Ferrari. Sebastian Vettel was in seventh for Aston Martin, Kimi Raikkonen in eighth for Alfa Romeo. Fernando Alonso was ninth for Alpine and Lando Norris 10th for McLaren.

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