MEXICO CITY (AFP) – After scrapping to a hard-fought podium ahead of title rival Lando Norris last Sunday, Max Verstappen will seek to end a nine-race winless run on a favourite circuit at this weekend’s Mexico Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s series leader beat McLaren’s Norris into third for the first time in five outings, albeit with the aid of some controversial stewards’ decisions in Texas, to enlarge his lead to 57 points with five rounds of the 24-race Formula One championship remaining.
If that was not sufficient encouragement for him and Red Bull, who enjoyed an upswing in form as Ferrari dominated with a commanding one-two at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Verstappen’s impressive and breathless Mexican record should be.
The Dutchman has reeled off five wins from his last six visits to the high-altitude (2,250-metres above sea level) Autodromo Hermano Rodriguez and is the only current driver, apart from seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, twice, to have won in the capital city.
“We made good steps in Austin and I saw some promising improvement with the car,” said Verstappen who won last Saturday’s sprint race. “Historically, we have always gone well here too and I always enjoy driving this track.
“So now it is about keeping the momentum going forwards and for us to continue picking up points.”
For Norris, it represents another critical opportunity to dent the champion’s progress – reversing the outcome of last Sunday’s tussle in which, he admitted, he “drove like a muppet” and suffered a “momentum killer”.
A wider view, among many paddock observers, suggests that not only do McLaren lack the experience, sangfroid and killer instincts of Red Bull, but that they lack a cool head for decisions in the heat of a contentious incident.
Team boss Andrea Stella criticised the Austin stewards, but missed a chance to tell Norris to give his place back, after running off circuit, and to attack again.
“The next circuit should be a bit more suitable to our car,” he said, adding that McLaren will have more upgrades this weekend as the focus on protecting their 40-point lead ahead of Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.
In that context, this weekend will be important for both teams’ second drivers Oscar Piastri and home hero Sergio Perez whose future has been a subject of speculation since he was awarded a contract extension in May.
“I just have to shut out the noise and concentrate on my job and try to take a podium finish for myself, the team and the fans,” said Perez.
Ferrari will also fancy their chances again this weekend on a track where last year they locked out the front row of the grid, with last Sunday’s victor Charles Leclerc, on pole. Another successful race could see them overhaul Red Bull.
After a rare debacle in Texas, Hamilton will want to bounce back from his early exit with Mercedes’ team boss Toto Wolff hoping to see their capricious car challenging again.
Hamilton’s successor next season, Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli, is set to take his car on Friday morning with the team crossing their fingers that it will be returned undamaged while, by contrast, Fernando Alonso, aged 43, reaches another career landmark with his record 400th Grand Prix entry. Of his previous 399, he has started 396.
