Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has won the Mexico City Grand Prix after Red Bull’s Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen was twice punished for his driving against title rival Lando Norris and finished sixth.
McLaren’s Norris was second to slash Verstappen’s overall lead from 57 points to 47 with four rounds remaining, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third with a bonus point for fastest lap — helping the Scuderia into second place in the constructors’ championship ahead of Red Bull.
Norris’ Australian teammate Oscar Piastri surged from 17th on the grid to finish eighth.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
Triple world champion Verstappen, who pitted from third place to serve two 10-second penalties on lap 27, had to fight back from 15th after starting on the front row with Sainz on pole position.
The Dutch driver had won five of the last six races in Mexico, including the last three editions, but has now not won for 10 races in a row.
Verstappen’s behaviour was the talk of the afternoon, with stewards taking a hard line against the champion for forcing Norris off the track after a controversial previous weekend in Texas where it paid off.
In Mexico as in Austin, it was the title duel with Norris that provided the sparks with the Briton forced wide in two separate incidents as he tried to take second place.
“I was ahead the whole way through the corner. This guy is dangerous,” exclaimed Norris over the team radio after being forced wide at turn four on lap 10.
“It’s the same as last time. I’ll be in the wall in a minute.”
Norris cut a corner and tried to let Verstappen take back the place at turn eight but both went off and Leclerc seized his opportunity to pass them both.
Stewards punished Verstappen for firstly forcing Norris off and then doing the same and gaining an advantage in the second incident.
“Ten? That’s quite impressive,” said Verstappen when informed of the first penalty.
Norris said after the race: “It was a tough race. A lot of the first few laps was trying to stay in the race and avoid any crashes.
“I knew what to expect (from Max). I didn’t want to expect such a thing because I respect Max as a driver.
“Not very clean driving but I avoided him.”
The win, meanwhile, was a first for Ferrari in Mexico since 1990 and fourth of Sainz’s career — his first since the Australian Grand Prix in March.
“I really wanted to win this one. I needed it for myself. I said I wanted one more win for Ferrari and to do it here with this mega crowd is incredible,” said the Spaniard, who is leaving for Williams at the end of the season.
Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Haas had another good weekend with Kevin Magnussen seventh and Nico Hulkenberg ninth, with Piastri sandwiched between them.
McLaren stayed top of the constructors’ standings, but are now only 29 clear of Ferrari.
The safety car was deployed when RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Williams Alex Albon collided at the start.
Verstappen had seized the lead from Sainz down the long opening straight but his advantage did not last long once the safety car came in on lap six, with the Spaniard taking back the lead three laps later with the help of drag reduction (DRS).