Carlos Sainz wins in Mexico and Verstappen drops to sixth after penalties

Carlos Sainz took victory in the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix, regaining the lead after losing it at the start. Lando Norris finished second, while Max Verstappen, after receiving a 20-second penalty, ended up in sixth place.

The Spanish driver temporarily lost his position when Verstappen forced him to go wide at the first corner. After the race restart, caused by an accident involving Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda, Sainz overtook the Dutchman on lap nine using DRS.

Verstappen penalized and Norris advances

Verstappen, while battling with Norris, was involved in an incident that earned him two 10-second penalties, pushing him down the order. Charles Leclerc took advantage of the situation to move into second, but he couldn't close the gap to his teammate Sainz.

After the pit stops, Sainz held a considerable lead over Leclerc, managing the situation to preserve his tires and the car's performance.

Norris overtakes Leclerc

In the final laps, Norris caught up to Leclerc, who made a mistake at the Peraltada corner, allowing the Brit to take second place. Leclerc made a final pit stop to switch to soft tires and secure the fastest lap, finishing in third place.
This result allowed Ferrari to score 41 points and improve their standing in the constructors' championship.

Battle between Hamilton and Russell

Lewis Hamilton finished fourth after a long battle with his teammate George Russell, whom he finally overtook on lap 66 with the help of DRS.

Verstappen, struggling on hard tires, settled for sixth place, followed by Kevin Magnussen, who put in a solid drive to finish seventh. Oscar Piastri, after a difficult qualifying session, managed to finish in eighth.

Sergio Pérez had a tough day at his home race, finishing last. A grid mistake and damage to his car after an incident with Liam Lawson forced him to make multiple pit stops, leaving him with no competitive options.