Formula 1 is on the home straight with just four rounds remaining; we’ve got Americas North and South to go but first up on the trio is Central, with a visit to the Mexican Grand Prix. Motorsport Week previews the event and discusses the key talking points.
Can ‘Max-ico’ make it a hat-trick?
Max Verstappen triumphed in Mexico in 2017 and 2018 as on both occasions an aggressive first lap provided the platform for a dominant performance, profiting from the RB13 and RB14 working well around the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Could he make it a hat-trick this year? Red Bull, now equipped with Honda rather than Renault power, has gone off the boil since Formula 1’s summer break. It has not been in the same ballpark as rivals Mercedes and Ferrari, slightly shy of the ultimate power, while trying to unearth the right set-up and balance on its RB15. Verstappen has already talked down his chances of another Mexico victory but post-France this year he rued his current predicament and expected to be fourth or fifth in Austria… then he went on to win.
Will it be a title three-peat for Hamilton?
For the last two years, Hamilton has wrapped up the crown at the antepenultimate round in Mexico and once more this season he has a chance to seal the deal in the country, even with its event shifting one round earlier! With nine wins to Valtteri Bottas’ three Hamilton will be crowned World Champion if he leaves Mexico 78 points clear. It is a tall order. Mercedes has not been the pace-setter in Mexico in recent years, with Hamilton a crash-limited ninth in 2017, and a tyre-limited fourth last year. He needs, at minimum, a podium finish to be assured of title number six, and in pure mathematics must out-score his team-mate by 14 points. A more likely outcome is for Hamilton to clinch it in the United States – where he secured his 2015 crown – when a 52-point buffer will be required.
Can Ferrari maintain hot qualifying streak?
Ferrari claimed three pole positions in the first half of the season but since the summer break, it has not been beaten, with Charles Leclerc streaking to four-in-a-row prior to Sebastian Vettel’s effort in Japan. Its session-leading efforts in Belgium and Italy – and to an extent Russia – were expected, but both in Singapore and Japan it sprung a surprise. On both occasions it was off the pace on Friday but put the SF90 in the window by the time qualifying rolled around to defeat Mercedes, highlighting the work undertaken on updates, set-up and back at Maranello in the simulator. It is the first time Ferrari has taken five straight poles since Michael Schumacher’s streak of seven across 2000/2001. Ferrari’s title ambitions are over for 2019 but everything it can gleam from the remaining events will form part of its education for 2020.
Can Checo give home fans some cheer?
The majority of the driver on the Formula 1 grid get to race on home soil but few places in the world get behind their compatriot to the extent of Mexican support of Sergio Perez. The domination of Formula 1’s top three teams means a podium result is likely to be off-limits – though never say never – meaning a strong points haul would be well-received. Such a prospect appeared unlikely earlier in the year as Perez endured a career-low eight races without a point, but since the summer break, he and Racing Point have moved up the standings, taking sixth in Belgium, seventh in Italy and Russia, and ninth in Japan. Perez has reached the top 10 three times from four attempts on home territory and another haul of points would be a strong result as the team tries to overhaul Toro Rosso in the standings.
D-Day looming for 2021 regulations
There are two major events with a deadline of October 31, at least at the time of writing that is: the UK’s departure from the European Union, and the publication of the 2021 Formula 1 Regulations. No-one is exactly sure what they want, no-one quite knows what will happen, and there will be more than one dissatisfied party unhappy at whatever compromise is reached. And, yes, that is the joke. Concentrating on Formula 1, compared to the Bernie Ecclestone era of multiple leaks and very public manoeuvres, under Liberty Media the teams and senior figures have kept more of a lid on proceedings. But as October 31 looms larger on the horizon it could get a bit political down Mexico way…
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