Carlos Sainz Secures Victory at Chaotic Mexican Grand Prix as Verstappen Faces Major Penalties

Carlos Sainz of Ferrari emerged victorious at the highly eventful 2024 Mexican Grand Prix, held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. Sainz, who secured pole position, maintained his composure throughout the race to claim his fourth Formula 1 victory and his second of the season.

The race was marked by significant drama from the outset. Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who started in second place, quickly overtook Sainz in the opening corners. However, the early stages of the race were disrupted by a crash involving Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon, which brought out the safety car.

Verstappen’s day took a turn for the worse when he was handed a substantial 20-second time penalty by the FIA for two separate incidents involving championship rival Lando Norris of McLaren. These penalties dropped Verstappen down the order, ultimately resulting in a sixth-place finish, his joint-lowest of the season.

Lando Norris capitalized on the situation, securing second place after passing Sainz’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who finished third. Leclerc had a late wobble under pressure from Norris, allowing the McLaren driver to overtake him.

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fourth and fifth, respectively, after a competitive battle between the teammates. Haas had a notable performance with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg finishing seventh and ninth, respectively.

The results have significant implications for the constructors’ championship, with Ferrari now leading Red Bull in the standings. McLaren also gained ground, thanks in part to Oscar Piastri‘s recovery from a poor qualifying result to finish eighth.