F1 Mexico Grand Prix LIVE: Carlos Sainz wins from pole position ahead of Lando Norris
F1 live updates from the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez as the world title battle continues with Lando Norris cutting the gap Max Verstappen
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Your support makes all the difference.Carlos Sainz took a well deserved victory at the Mexico Grand Prix winning the race from pole position ahead of Lando Norris who made vital ground in the drivers championship on leader Max Verstappen.
Verstappen started the race on the front row and overtook Sainz heading to the first corner but a crash for Yuki Tsunodo brought out the safety car. After the restart Sainz swept past Verstappen as Norris looked to gain ground on the Red Bull.
The two title rivals tussled for position with Verstappen being very aggressive and forcing Norris off the track to maintain his position behind Sainz. It was one of two serious errors that caused the Red Bull driver to be penalised by 20-seconds which effectively forced him out of the race.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc safely positioned himself behind Sainz but lost second place to Norris in the closing stages and had to settle for third.
Relive the updates from the Mexican Grand Prix with The Independent:
Mexico Grand Prix: Safety car deployed
The safety car is out and the drivers are attempting to keep their tyres warm. There’s plenty of debris on the track which needs to be cleared away.
Sergio Perez gained five places but is being investigated for a false start.
Mexico Grand Prix: Verstappen takes the lead!
Max Verstappen has had the perfect start to this race getting himself ahead of Carlos Sainz by the first turn. The safety car has come out after Tsunoda’s crash.
Alex Albon’s Williams has taken collateral damage too so he is out of the race as well.
Elsewhere Lewis Hamilton got ahead of teammate George Russell and is up to fifth.
Mexico Grand Prix: Green light! 🟢
Here we go!
The green lights flare and the race begins. Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen fly off the line with the Ferrari edging ahead of the Red Bull as they approach the first turn.
Lando Norris, just behind them, starts well but can’t gain ground.
Verstappen gets in front of Sainz who heads off the track at the turn! Behind them Yuki Tsunoda’s RB is into the wall!
Mexico Grand Prix
Just a few minutes until the Mexico Grand Prix gets underway. Carlos Sainz and Ferrari are hoping for another win after Chrales Leclerc’s victory in Austin.
Max Verstappen will be aiming to stay ahead of Lando Norris in their fight for the world title. The Dutchman starts on the front row so Norris has more work to do.
Behind them, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to make inroads and Sergio Perez, in his home Grand Prix, will want to sweep through the field and finish in the points after a poor qualifying session.
Let’s find out how it all plays out...
Perez on Red Bull issues
Sergio Perez has been having a horrible year for Red Bull but was hoping to put in a strong performance at his home race in Mexico. Following his Q1 exit, Perez opened up on the issues he’s been facing this season.
“We were just struggling too much with stopping the car,” he said. “For example into the low speed I cannot brake, I cannot stop the car, as soon as I attack the braking I start sliding, that is definitely my main issue at the moment.”
Verstappen starts on how the race will start:
“I remember quite a few of them but every start is different, so you can’t really, it gives you an idea but at the end of the day you just have to act at what is in front of you and next to you during the actual start.”
On breaking the tow behind, he added: “Anything can happen, I don’t know. What’s important is to just try and get a good start yourself.
“The last two races we have not been particularly strong in the race and we didn’t really have a Friday so it’s very unknown what’s going to happen in the race that’s why I don’t really want to say that we can win the race today.”
Sainz speaks to Sky Sports
Carlos Sainz spoke to Sky Sports on his biggest challenge to get the win today, he said: “I’ve been feeling very comfortable in the car, I feel like everything is working really well and I know how to drive it to extract maximum lap time.
“I honestly can’t wait for the race it will be an exciting one, especially on that run down to Turn One and an exciting race to do it.
“I do believe with starts there is a lot of preparation that goes into it especially for the launch and then when that happens a lot of it is down to instinct and you racing instinct that kicks in, I trust that in myself and hopefully we will make it work today.”
A milestone for Alonso
Fernando Alonso reaches another milestone at the Mexico City Grand Prix with his 400th Formula 1 appearance.
Almost time for the green light
The drivers are drinking in the atmosphere ahead of the race start. Will Max Verstappen extend his lead or can the Ferraris back up their victory from the US?
‘I’m losing all the time’ says Hamilton
“I’m losing all the time, that’s why I’ve been so bad in qualifying all year, it’s a normal thing, I’m used to it,” Lewis Hamilton told Sky Sports after qualifying on Saturday evening.
“It doesn’t feel like it [gives me potential], we’ve done everything, we’ve worked so hard in the background, like everybody does, to get the car in a nice place, it was feeling good in P3, let’s not touch anything, all we changed was just the rear wing.
“It’s a drastic difference, every time I get to qualifying the car is completely different, I can’t pinpoint why, it is what it is, I hope I can strike a balance tomorrow.
“There’s so much to play for tomorrow, I’ll try and do a good job.”
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