The 2024 Mexican Grand Prix delivered plenty of drama and controversy as Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz claimed his second win of the Formula 1 season.
Read on as we analyse three key talking points that emerged from an exciting weekend, starting with a spat between two feisty drivers.
Liam Lawson Adopts Over-Aggressive Approach
Liam Lawson employed an unnecessarily aggressive strategy from the start in Mexico, culminating in a run-in with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Perez was racing in his native Mexico and wanted to put on a show for his adoring fans, but became embroiled in a battle with Lawson that ultimately left them both empty-handed.
Their duel for a tenth-place finish was intense, but a skirmish between the pair scuppered their respective hopes of grabbing a previous point.
The New Zealand starlet was priced at odds of 2.40 to finish in the points, and his early showings should have earned him a better finish.
New bookmakers in NZ will have been delighted with Lawson’s reckless drive given that numerous Kiwi punters backed him to secure a points finish.
After the race, Lawson admitted that he was disappointed with his 16th-place finish before apologising for flashing an obscene gesture at Perez.
The Mexican was not having any of it and blasted the rookie, calling him out for lacking humility before demanding he show more respect on the track.
Haas Team Delivers Another Strong Performance
The Haas team enjoyed another productive outing in Mexico. The new upgrades introduced in the United States seem to be working wonders.
Kevin Magnussen qualified seventh and Nico Hulkenberg tenth. Both drivers executed a one-stop strategy during the race, allowing them to maintain strong positions throughout.
Magnussen finished seventh while Hulkenberg crossed the line in ninth, giving the team eight crucial points. This result added to their streak of six consecutive races where they have finished in the top ten.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu praised Magnussen’s performance, hailing his efforts in Mexico as one of his best drives for the team.
Haas now sit in sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Both drivers believe they still have more to give in the final four races of the season.
“It was a perfect day, really,” Magnussen said. “We got everything right. The balance of the car was right in that sweet spot, and I was able to manage the tyres when I needed and push hard when I needed.
“The last year or so has been tough, and I feel like I’m finding my rhythm again, so I hope we can finish this year really nailing points in these last four races.”
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Norris Still Chasing Verstappen
The 2024 campaign is entering its final stretch with four races remaining to determine who will be crowned champion this season.
Many people are wondering if second-placed McLaren star Lando Norris can bridge the gap with Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
Norris claimed second at the Mexico GP and closed the gap at the summit. Verstappen was hit with two ten-second penalties and finished sixth.
Red Bull had the fastest car coming into the season, but the upgrades by McLaren have made them incredibly competitive while the former has regressed.
Norris has enjoyed a fine season but remains 47 points behind Verstappen in the F1 standings.
He will push the Belgian-Dutch driver down to the wire. However, team principal Andrea Stella has encouraged Norris to maintain his driving style without trying to prove anything to the stewards.
Norris needs a lot to go his way to topple Verstappen. He will hope the three-time world champion suffers more setbacks while looking for help from other teams to put themselves between him and his rival.
This will be a tough task, but it can be done. Finnish Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen was 17 points behind McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton with two races to go but clawed his way back and won by a point in 2007.
Norris will take inspiration from McLaren’s Alain Prost, who was 11 points behind Williams’ Nigel Mansell in 1986 with two races to go and still secured the win.
