Max Verstappen dominated the Mexico City Grand Prix en route to his ninth race win of the 2021 season.
As a result, the Dutchman has extended his championship advantage to 19 points over Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who ended the race in second place.
Local favourite Sergio Perez attacked Hamilton late on in the grand prix, but couldn’t pass the seven-time world championship, but nevertheless impressed on his way to his third consecutive podium.
Verstappen, who started the race from third on the grid, launched off the line and found himself with the racing line into Turn 1. Late on the brakes, he passed Hamilton and pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas.
During his first stint, Verstappen extended the gap to Hamilton behind, with the Mercedes man pitting before both of his Red Bull rivals. Verstappen was called in a number of laps later, while Perez was kept out for longer to attack with fresh tyres at the end.
Bottas, who was under pressure into the first corner after starting from pole, found himself spun around at the opening corner when he was hit by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo – both were forced to pit.
Bottas failed to recover to the points by the end of the race, having been stuck behind Ricciardo for much of the grand prix. However, late pit stops saw him take the extra point for the fastest lap away from Verstappen.
Lap one retirements also involved Yuki Tsunoda and Mick Schumacher after both made contact with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
Pierre Gasly endured a quiet but impressive race in fourth place, escaping the lap one chaos and out-pacing the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who were fourth and fifth respectively.
Sebastian Vettel was seventh for Aston Martin, heading Kimi Raikkonen in eighth who matched both his and Alfa Romeo’s best result of the season.
Fernando Alonso was ninth, while Lando Norris picked up the final point for McLaren, having started towards the back with an engine penalty.
[motorsport_result id=’76035′]
