The Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix featured examples of brilliant overtaking, with debate over driving standards continuing to grow. As F1 prepares for the final leg of its latest gruelling triple-header, here are the winners and losers of the enthralling 2024 Mexico City GP.
Carlos Sainz: 10
Grid Position P1, Race Result P1
A rare perfect score, but thoroughly justified. Although Sainz lost the lead on the long run down to Turn 1, it took all of three laps after the Safety Car for the Spaniard to charge past Max Verstappen in a stunning move. From there, he set off into the distance.
Saving so much pace in hand over his rivals, he requested an extra lap on the medium tyres before transferring to the hards, managing the gap to team-mate Charles Leclerc with effortless ease.
Although Lando Norris’ McLaren made a late charge in the race’s final stages, excellent tyre, fuel and energy management was more than enough to see off the challenge. At one with his SF-24 the whole weekend, the Mexico City GP belonged to Carlos Sainz.
Charles Leclerc: 8
Grid Position P4, Race Result P3
Not quite on the pace of team-mate Sainz, Leclerc became a de-facto backup to the other Ferrari in an attempt to secure a one-two. For most of the race, it seemed the Monegasque had an answer for whatever Norris could throw at him, even setting his sights on Sainz at one point. But a sideways moment when battling Norris almost eliminated him.
Although ultimately losing out to Norris, his successful effort at securing the fastest lap to secure an additional point was clinical. Radioing his team with a handful of laps to go before executing it with military precision, the consistency of Leclerc added to Sainz will give McLaren cause for concern for its championship hopes as the end of the season draws closer.
Lando Norris: 8.5
Grid Position P3, Race Result P2
Norris was once again too conservative off the line at the start. Despite secretly starting in the best grid spot for the long run to Turn 1, the championship contender failed to move up the order.
But seemingly listening to criticism of being more aggressive, his bold move on Verstappen on Lap 10 was rewarded with being forced off wide not once but twice. Yet, unlike in previous incidents, he kept his cool despite losing multiple positions.
Opting to sit back and wait for the inevitable penalties to arrive, he managed his pace. Having no answer initially to the Ferraris ahead of him once he pitted, Norris came alive as the laps closed down, slowly catching before passing Leclerc. Although unable to catch Sainz by the flag, this was a strong result, with the gap to Verstappen reduced to below 50 points with four races left.
Oscar Piastri: 6
Grid Position P17, Race Result P8
Piastri had another strong recovery drive, but again, it damaged McLaren’s hopes of winning its first Constructors’ Championship since 1998. Despite midfield carnage, Piastri kept his nose clean at the start and methodically worked his way up the order.
On paper, salvaging eighth from 17th on the grid was a good result in Mexico City, but with Ferrari making huge inroads into what was once an unassailable championship lead, Piastri needs to spend more time at the front of the grid, not battling through it.
Lewis Hamilton: 6.5
Grid Position P6, Race Result P4
Hamilton was the only Mercedes to run with the new upgrades for the W15 at the Mexico City GP. But like team-mate George Russell, the seven-time World Champion spent most of the race in no man’s land. Losing position to Russell on Lap 15, it looked like the older spec Mercedes had the edge.
But his fight back later in the race to wrestle fourth from his team-mate around the outside going into Turn 1 on Lap 56 once again demonstrated he will not give up until the chequered flag falls.
George Russell: 6
Grid Position P5, Race Result P5
Thanks to his massive crash on Friday, Russell’s race was already compromised before lights out. His failure to out-race Hamilton and stay ahead as the laps counted down is not a confidence booster for the soon-to-be team leader at Mercedes. In terms of pace, he kept Verstappen at bay to out-perform Red Bull. It was not an exciting day at the office, but not too bad either.
Max Verstappen: 3
Grid Position P2, Race Result P6
The Mexico City GP provided a clear answer as to whether Verstappen can duel with rivals without resorting to below-par driving standards: He cannot. Exactly a week after the phrase “ahead at the apex” was thrown around more than chocolate on Halloween, Verstappen’s first ill-advised move on Norris garnered universal condemnation. Running him out of road a few corners later for good measure reeked of petulance.
The subsequent 20-second time penalty ruined his afternoon and gave title rival Norris something even more dangerous than his driving: hope. To then stand in the media pen and say that being further back was the sole reason for his unacceptable driving indicates a driver with little to no respect for his rivals. Verstappen may be the best driver of his generation, but in Mexico, his vice grip on F1 loosened considerably.
Sergio Perez: 1
Grid Position P18, Race Result P17
Of all the weekends to perform well when your seat is on the line, your home Grand Prix is a must. Instead, we witnessed Perez climbing into his own coffin and helping the bearers seal the lid.
An appalling start resulted in a five-second penalty for being out of position on the grid, and bodywork damage from the first corner incident severely compromised his afternoon. His battle with Liam Lawson provided entertainment, but he seemingly forgot the “severity” of Lance Stroll’s move on him, executing it on Lawson and then slipping to the back of the field. The farcical fastest lap attempt at the end of the race summarises the delusion on his side of the Red Bull garage.
His statement in the media pen that Lawson had the wrong attitude for F1 showed that Perez knows his days at Red Bull are well and truly numbered, just days after Perez’s father said he would be world champion in two years. Meanwhile, in the real world, Red Bull is now behind McLaren and Ferrari in the standings.
Kevin Magnussen: 7.5
Grid Position P7, Race Result P7
As Magnussen prepares for his time in F1 to come to an end, the Mexico City GP reminded us of the performances the Dane is capable of on his day. Hulkenberg had no option but to acquiesce his place as the top Haas driver in the race. Getting a strong start, Magnussen finished as best of the rest behind the leading cars and ahead of a charging Piastri. Magnussen’s points could prove vital in Haas’ battle with RB in the lower order of the standings.
Nico Hulkenberg: 7
Grid Position P10, Race Result P9
His performance in the Mexico City GP became another example of Hulkenberg’s solid, consistent performances that brought home the points. While not as strong as other races this year, he enjoyed battles during the race, notably with Piastri. While his work in Mexico will largely go under the radar, Haas will be hoping Esteban Ocon can deliver the same consistency that has propelled the team up the order this season.
Pierre Gasly: 6
Grid Position P8, Race Result P10
Pierre Gasly unintentionally caused the first corner accident that sent Yuki Tsunoda spinning into retirement at the first corner. Unscathed, he soldiered on to seal a solitary point for Alpine. The Renault power deficit to Mercedes and Ferrari was less severe at the high altitude of the Mexico City GP, aiding the Frenchman’s quest for a top-10 finish. He comfortably won the battle of the lower order with a methodical drive, which will give him and the team hope for the remaining races.
Esteban Ocon: 5.5
Pit lane Start, Race Result P13
Ocon’s race was dull, average and without incident. That’s not a problem when running in the points, not when towards the back of the grid. Moving up the order at the start after his pit lane start, he proved unable to match the pace of Gasly, only passing the customary off-the-pace Saubers. Cutting a dejected figure in the media pen post-race, Ocon will be looking at the turnaround of Haas with great interest as he prepares to switch for 2025.
Lance Stroll: 6
Grid Position P14, Race Result P11
The Mexico City GP was one of Stroll’s best races this season. Aggressive and attacking from the off, Stroll looked like a different driver entirely compared to recent races. His battle with Perez became an unexpected highlight, and despite dropping to 16th after his stop, he once again rose up the order to put himself on the fringes of the points. Given the pace of the AMR24 in Mexico, Stroll extracted the most out of his car.
Fernando Alonso: 5.5
Grid Position P13, Race Result DNF
Alonso’s 400th race weekend in F1 is a milestone rightly celebrated by the paddock and the sport. Losing position at the start to Stroll, he trundled behind the Safety Car before being overtaken by Perez. His race ended on Lap 15, a brake cooling issue caused by the high altitude of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The Mexico City GP was more of a whimper than a showcase of the two-time World Champion.
Franco Colapinto: 7
Grid Position P16 Race Result P12
Although Colapinto featured further down the order, his impressive run of form continued in Mexico City. He took advantage of the first corner melee, staying within striking distance of those around him despite starting on hard tyres. Pitting for mediums on Lap 47, he unleashed his fresh rubber to attack Lawson but received a post-race penalty for his ambitious overtaking move. To finish 12th was a real achievement after an eventful race.
Alex Albon: N/A
Grid Position P9, Race Result DNF
Albon’s first corner retirement is the definition of a brilliant qualifying wasted. An innocent bystander, the out-of-control Tsunoda collected his Williams, resulting in his second first corner incident in as many weeks. This one proved the most costly, eliminating him on the spot. No points while direct rival Alpine scored one in 10th will hurt Albon. Sao Paulo simply has to be better.
Valtteri Bottas: 6
Grid Position P15, Race Result P14
Almost treating qualifying 15th like a win, Bottas had genuine hope that he and Sauber could finally end their point-less run this season. Sadly, this proved not to be the case, as although the team has clearly made progress with the C44 this weekend, it is nowhere near enough. Going backwards once again, the one redeeming feature of his race is he did not finish in the final two positions.
Zhou Guanyu: 5.5
Grid Position P19, Race Result P15
The Mexico City GP showed an improvement for Zhou, who could battle away from the back of the grid and mix with the midfield. Nursing a brake issue throughout the race, he kept the likes of Lawson and Perez at bay to not finish in the dreaded final classification place. Although, on paper, this did not look like a vintage performance, it did show considerable progress for the Chinese driver.
Liam Lawson: 5
Grid Position P12, Race Result P16
Lawson is now engaged in a rivalry with the man he seeks to replace at Red Bull, Perez. His battle with the Mexican was, at points, brutal and a statement of intent. Damaging Perez’s car did not go down well with his potential future employers. Swearing at him as he drove past in the heat of the moment showed the level of red mist that descended on the New Zealander during the race. Colliding with Colapinto in the later stages and damaging his front wing, his aggressive race was wasted in a matter of seconds.
Yuki Tsunoda: N/A
Grid Position P11, Race Result DNF
Enjoying a strong and aggressive start, Tsunoda’s first corner elimination was extremely unlucky. Tagged from the side by Albon, he became a passenger as his RB crashed into the wall and sent him flying backwards. Uninjured, all he could do was reflect on a missed opportunity. With Haas’ big points haul, RB is now 10 points behind the American outfit in the Constructors’ Championship. Races like the Mexico City GP cannot happen in the final four races if Tsunoda harbours serious ambitions of jumping to Red Bull in 2025.
