Sainz Wins in Mexico, Ferrari Gains as Verstappen Penalized

Carlos Sainz took victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing 4.7 seconds ahead of Lando Norris, with Charles Leclerc completing the podium. Ferrari’s strong performance moved them up to second in the constructors’ standings. The race began with Sainz and Max Verstappen fighting for the lead, but it soon shifted to damage control for Verstappen after he incurred two 10-second penalties for incidents with Norris. These penalties were served during his pit stop, placing him at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, chaos ensued early on as a collision between Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda triggered a safety car period, and Sergio Pérez received a five-second penalty for a false start, adding pressure to his race as he aimed to overtake Oscar Piastri.

Following the restart, Sainz reclaimed the lead from Verstappen, whose penalties saw him drop to P15 after the first pit stop. The Ferrari duo maintained control, with Sainz building a comfortable lead over Leclerc, who later faced pressure from Norris. Norris, holding the race’s fastest lap, closed in on Leclerc after he went wide but couldn’t catch Sainz’s significant lead. Ferrari strategically called Leclerc to the pits to secure the fastest lap, and Red Bull did the same with Pérez. Despite Verstappen’s recovery to P6, Ferrari’s consistency ensured their move to second in the constructors’ standings, while Norris gained ground in the drivers’ championship.