Max Verstappen broke his own record for most wins in a Formula 1 season with his 16th victory of the year at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Verstappen started P3 and was actually briefly down to fourth in the run down to the first corner as teammate Sergio Perez lunged ahead. Unfortunately, Perez made contact with pole-sitter Charles Leclerc going into Turn 1, going temporarily airborne, which ended his day.
Verstappen quickly dispatched both Ferraris to get into the lead and was poised to drive away before the second incident of the afternoon brought out a red flag. On lap 34, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen lost the back end in Turn 8 and had a violent contact with the soft barrier, even burning some of it away.
A 20-minute red flag period to clear the track ensued, which could have compromised Verstappen’s race as he had just a lap earlier pitted for the hard tire. The prospect of a standing restart on a cold hard tire was not promising but, as he has all season, the Dutchman simply wouldn’t be caught, opening a 13-second gap to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton by the end of the race.
Mexico City Grand Prix results
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Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
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Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes
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Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari
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Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari
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Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes
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George Russell (63), Mercedes
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Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
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Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes
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Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes
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Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault
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Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault
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Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes
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Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari
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Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
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Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
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Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
Not classified:
Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes
Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes
Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari
Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
Mexico City Grand Prix TV/streaming schedule
All times Eastern
Friday
2:25 – 3:30 p.m.: Free practice 1 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
5:55 – 7 p.m.: Free practice 2 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
Saturday
1:25 – 2:30 p.m.: Free practice 3 (ESPNNews, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
4:55 – 6 p.m.: Qualifying (ESPNNews, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
Sunday
2:30 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.: Pre-race show (ABC, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
3:55 – 6 p.m.: Mexico City Grand Prix (ABC, ESPN+, F1 TV Pro)
Mexico City Grand Prix starting grid
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Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari
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Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari
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Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
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Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
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Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
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Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes
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Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes
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George Russell (63), Mercedes
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Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
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Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
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Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault
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Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari
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Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes
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Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes
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Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault
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Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari
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Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes
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Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes
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Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
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Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes
Mexico City Grand Prix details
Track: Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez | 2.674-mile, 17-turn permanent racing facility in Mexico City
Race length: 71 laps
Lap record: 1:17.774 (Valtteri Bottas, 2021, Mercedes)
Tire compounds: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft)
2022 winner: Max Verstappen, Red Bull-RBPT
Pirelli tire test at the Mexico City Grand Prix
Those who tune in for Friday’s practice sessions will likely hear the commentary box talking about an experimental tire being tested. That’s because Pirelli has given each team two sets of a new C4 compound prototype tire and asked them to run each at points throughout the sessions so they can gauge the wear.
“Once we have analyzed all the data, we will then decide whether or not to homologate this version for use in 2024,” Mario Isola, Pirelli head of motorsport, wrote in the supplier’s pre-weekend briefing.
Rookies at the Mexico City Grand Prix
Due to F1’s rookie mandate – whereby each team has to make two free practice sessions per season available to drivers who have completed fewer than two grands prix – a number of new faces were on the track:
• Ollie Bearman drove Kevin Magnussen’s Haas • Jack Doohan drove Pierre Gasly’s Alpine • Theo Pourchaire drove Valtteri Bottas’ Alfa Romeo • Frederik Vesti drove George Russell’s Mercedes • Isack Hadjar drove Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri
All five are currently competing in Formula 2, with Pourchaire sitting atop the points standings, 25 points ahead of Vesti. Bearman set the fastest time in Friday’s opening practice session, turning a 1:21.313, good for 15th-place just ahead of veteran Fernando Alonso. Next were Hadjar (P17), Doohan (P18) and Vesti (P19). Pourchaire struggled with technical issues on out laps throughout the session and did not post a flying time.
Mexico City Grand Prix free practice 3 results
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Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT 1:17.887
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Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes +.070
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Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT +.131
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George Russell (63), Mercedes +.361
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Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes +.505
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Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari +.550
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Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT +.563
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Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes +.593
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Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT +.612
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Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes +.635
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Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes +.831
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Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari +1.030
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Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari +1.083
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Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes +1.207
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Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari +1.406
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Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari +1.433
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Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes +1.584
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Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault +1.622
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Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari +1.686
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Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault +1.952
Mexico City Grand Prix free practice 2 results
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Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT 1:18.686
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Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes +.119
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Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari +.266
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Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari +.269
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Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT +.302
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Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT +.316
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Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes +.338
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Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault +.391
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Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes +.477
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George Russell (63), Mercedes +.541
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Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari +.571
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Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT +.604
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Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari +.721
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Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes +.760
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Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari +.849
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Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault +.956
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Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes +1.214
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Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes +1.389
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Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari +1.426
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Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes +1.740
Mexico City Grand Prix free practice 1 results
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Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT 1:19.718
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Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes +.095
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Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT +.297
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Lando Norris (14), McLaren-Mercedes +.595
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Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari +.579
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Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes +745
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Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari +.761
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Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT +850
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Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault +.959
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Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes +.969
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Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes +1.006
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Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari +1.250
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Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari +1.411
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Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes +1.439
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Oliver Bearman (50), Haas-Ferrari +1.595
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Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes +1.629
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Isack Hadjar (41), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT +2.223
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Jack Doohan (61), Alpine-Renault +2.391
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Frederik Vesti (42), Mercedes +3.219
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Theo Pourchaire (98), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari no time
Top drivers and best bets for the Mexico City Grand Prix
You know whose game it is at this point. In addition to Max Verstappen’s imperious pace over the past three seasons, the aerodynamic advantage of the Red Bull is amplified in the thin air of Mexico City’s 7,350 feet of elevation. Verstappen is a heavy favorite at -175 (according to BetMGM), with Lewis Hamilton nearest him on the board at +500, but that isn’t quite the gap we’ve seen previously in the season.
Best odds to win
• Max Verstappen -175
• Lewis Hamilton +500
• Charles Leclerc +800
• George Russell +800
Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg wrote earlier in the week on the props market. In addition to betting Verstappen to win — as one always should, even with a negative moneyline — Bromberg likes Lewis Hamilton to bag a second straight podium finish (-165) and Lando Norris to beat hometown hero Sergio Perez to the checkered flag Sunday (+100). If you’re looking to take a flier, Charles Lecerc is +800 to win pole, and with Ferrari’s straight-line qualifying pace, it could happen.
2023 F1 drivers’ standings
1. Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT – 466*
2. Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT – 240
3. Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes – 201
4. Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes – 183
5. Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari – 171
6. Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes – 159
7. Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari – 151
8. George Russell (63), Mercedes – 143
9. Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes – 83
10. Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault – 56
11. Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes – 53
12. Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault – 44
13. Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes – 25
14. Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari – 10
15. Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari – 9
16. Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari – 6
17. Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 8
18. Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari – 3
19. Liam Lawson (40), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 2
20. Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes – 1
21. Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 0
22. Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 0
* — Clinched world championship
Mexico City Grand Prix weather
The forecast calls for variable cloud cover throughout the weekend, with high temperatures in the mid-70s. There is a 51% chance of precipitation during Friday’s practice session, and the region of Mexico in which Distrito Federal sits is prone to quickly forming thunderstorms. But with lower temperatures, cloud cover forecast and the historically smooth Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez pavement, tire wear shouldn’t be much of a concern.