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Sainz’s master class at Mexico City GP as Verstappen brawls


Sainz

MEXICO CITY: Max Verstappen would make some questionable moves in his battle with rival Lando Norris on Sunday, while Carlos Sainz would put the finishing touches on a master class weekend.

An exciting turn 1 featured Yuki Tsunoda colliding with Alex Albon before heading off the track into the barriers, as Carlos Sainz fought with Max Verstappen for the lead. Sainz was pressured off track lines by the world championship leader, before the Ferrari driver cut through the corner. He ended up giving back the place to Verstappen, as he surely would have been instructed to by the stewards had he maintained first.

After getting the fastest lap of the race thus far, Sainz took the lead from Verstappen in the ninth, taking advantage of the DRS (drag reduction system) zone to get the needed boost in speed.

On lap 10, fans would witness some questionable choices from the world championship leader, as he battled rival Lando Norris. Norris would fall short of taking second place from the Red Bull driver, as Verstappen fought him off the road. Then at the very next turn, Verstappen would keep his elbows out, a move that resulted in both of them going wide of the track lines, allowing Charles Leclerc to take second.

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It was a odd move from Verstappen, who lunged into the corner without any hope of staying within track lines himself, something that the stewards took notice of, as they punished him with a 10 second penalty for forcing Norris off the track. He was also penalised with another 10 seconds for pushing Norris off the road at the previous corner. Verstappen would serve the 20 seconds in the pits on the 27th lap.

Leclerc would lose second place on the 63rd lap, as he lost control of his car for a brief moment at a corner, before heading off track lines, leaving the door open for Norris to move up a place.

Eight laps later, Sainz would get his fourth ever win in Formula one, as Norris took home second place, with Leclerc behind him in third, who managed to snag a bonus point by setting the fastest lap of the race on the last one. Championship leader, Verstappen would have a disappointing result, placing sixth.   

With four grands prix remaining, Verstappen still has a commanding lead in the Drivers’ Championship, standing at 362 points, with Norris behind him with 315. McLaren continue to lead the Constructors’ Championship with 566 points. Ferrari is in second, with 537.

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