The reprise of the Max Verstappen/Lando Norris controversy from a week ago dominated the attention of the Mexican Grand Prix, as the Red Bull driver played with the rules once more in his attempts at limiting title rival Norris’s points tally. This time he got slapped with two 10sec penalties for two really egregious moves made within seconds of each other, one pushing the overtaking Norris off track, the other in retaking the place by driving completely off the circuit himself. If he sounded fairly unconcerned about the severity of the penalties, that’s probably because it still succeeded in compromising Norris’s Grand Prix in a McLaren which had a lot more race pace than Verstappen’s Red Bull.
But as much race pace as the victorious Ferrari of Carlos Sainz? Maybe. Certainly, in the second stint, with both on the hard tyres, Norris was able to catch and pass the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. He took out 10 of the 15sec he’d trailed Sainz by after Verstappen had held him up at Red Bull pace through the first stint, having completed his fouls. So again, Verstappen had gamed the system in that his ‘punishment’ came after Norris had been compromised.
The lap before Verstappen’s clash with Norris, he’d been overtaken successfully – by Sainz. Verstappen had beaten the pole-sitting Ferrari off the line – which was a serious blow to Carlos. Because Ferrari had chosen cooling levels around this thin-aired track based on the confidence of running at the front in clear air. With anything less than clear air it was all a bit marginal. So Sainz wasn’t up for hanging around and waiting for the stops. He was in a faster car than the Red Bull, so spent a few laps forcing Verstappen to use up his battery – then pounced. From a long way back, taking Verstappen by surprise.
