Formula One: Carlos Sainz wins Mexico GP as Max Verstappen gets penalised twice

Carlos Sainz secured a landmark victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, delivering Ferrari's first win at the track since 1990. Max Verstappen faced penalties, reducing his championship lead as Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc completed the podium.

In Short

• Ferrari moved to 2nd in constructor's standings after Mexico GP
• Verstappen was given two 10-second penalties
• Leclerc finished 3rd to round off a fine day for Ferrari

Carlos Sainz clinched an emotional victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, marking Ferrari's first win at the venue since 1990 and the fourth of his career. Meanwhile, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who started on the front row with Sainz, encountered a challenging race. Verstappen received two 10-second penalties following aggressive encounters with McLaren’s Lando Norris, who later criticised the Dutch driver as “dangerous” over team radio.

Verstappen ultimately finished sixth, surrendering some ground in the championship, as Norris's second-place finish reduced Verstappen’s lead to 47 points with just four races left. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium, having initially run close to Sainz, but fell to third after Norris overtook him in the closing laps. Despite missing out on a Ferrari one-two, Leclerc secured an additional point for setting the fastest lap.

The race saw Verstappen take the lead from Sainz on the long opening straight, but a safety car intervention after an opening-lap collision between Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon neutralised his advantage. Sainz reclaimed the lead soon after the restart, overtaking Verstappen with the help of DRS on lap nine. Verstappen’s penalties, served on lap 27, pushed him back to 15th, forcing a fierce battle to recover places.

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fourth and fifth, respectively, following a tense duel in the race’s final stages. Kevin Magnussen of Haas achieved a solid seventh-place finish, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in eighth and Haas teammate Nico Hulkenberg in ninth. Pierre Gasly of Alpine rounded out the top 10, bringing his team closer to seventh place in the Constructors’ standings, currently held by Williams.

Sergio Perez faced a disappointing home race. The Mexican Red Bull driver was penalised for a false start after lining up outside the designated grid box and ended up 17th after a series of on-track scuffles, including a collision with Liam Lawson that damaged his car.

The crowd witnessed yet another captivating battle between Verstappen and Norris, as stewards took a strict stance after the previous weekend’s controversies in Austin. The incident-packed race concluded with Sainz comfortably ahead of Norris by 4.7 seconds, while Leclerc trailed 34.3 seconds behind his Ferrari teammate. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was forced to retire on lap 15 due to cooling and brake issues in his milestone 400th Formula One race.