Luis “El Teacher” Cardenas.- Ferrari continues to make a comeback in the 2024 Formula 1 season. After achieving 1-2 in the United States last week, this time it has had its two drivers on the podium at the Mexican Grand Prix, where Carlos Sainz won categorically, while Charles Leclers took third place, including a lap record. 34 years passed for the Prancing Horse to win again in Mexican territory (it had not done so since 1990).
After starting from pole position, Sainz was overtaken on the first lap by the Dutch monarch Max Verstappen, who in this way would seek to take advantage, which in the end he was unable to capitalize on. After leaving the safety car early, after Yuki Tsunoda’s accident (collision against the wall), the pilots traveled five laps in a train until the safety car left the track in the sixth section.
The emotions returned and Sainz returned to the fray to overtake Verstappen on lap nine, taking advantage of the DRS. Things would get worse for the reigning champion, after suffering a 10-second penalty for running a rival off the track at Turn 8. This took him out of the podium fight early.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso, in his 400th GP of his career, was not able to enjoy it in the best way, after having to retire very early due to problems with his car. And Verstappen suffered a new penalty, so when he stopped in the pits he had to pay a 20-second penalty, marginalizing him to eighth position.
With Sainz calmly commanding and Leclerc supporting him, half of the race focused on the fight between the Mercedes teammates, with the Englishman Lewis Hamilton attacking George Russell, whom he managed to overtake without any problems in the last five laps, to Avoid any collision that would jeopardize the points.
With eight laps to go Leclerc made a mistake that would take him off the track and Lando Norris took advantage of this to overtake him, after attacking him for several fractions. This mistake by the Monegasque made it difficult for him to get closer in the direct fight against the British for second place in the world rankings. Having a 29 second advantage over Hamilton, Ferrari sent him to the pits to put on soft tires and look for the fastest lap, which he achieved in the last lap and took the extra point, thus seeing the damage in just two units. regarding Norris.
There will be four races left to finish the 2024 Formula 1 season and Verstappen now has a 47-point difference over Norris and 71 over Leclerc. The next appointment will be at the Brazilian Grand Prix, from November 1 to 3.
United States Grand Prix results:
1st Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 01:40:55.800
2° Lando Norris (McLaren) +04.705
3° Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +34.387
4° Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +44.780
5° George Russell (Mercedes) +48.536
6° Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +59.558
World Driver Classification:
1° Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 362 pts
2° Lando Norris (McLaren) 315 pts
3° Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 291 pts
4° Oscar Piatri (McLaren) 251 pts
5° Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 240 pts.
Builders Classification:
1° McLaren 566 pts
2° Ferrari 537 pts
3° Red Bull 512 pts
4° Mercedes 366 pts
5° Aston Martin 86.
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