Sports

Verstappen wins Mexico Grand Prix, extends lead in F1 rankings

International Sports Desk, Nov 7 (EFE).- Dutch Formula One driver Max Verstappen, in a Red Bull vehicle, won the 71-lap Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday thanks to a great start that put him out in front right from the opening gun and enabled him to expand to 19 points his advantage over Britain’s Lewis Hamilton, with Mercedes, who came in second.

Although Verstappen launched in third place, he quickly took the lead on the stretch and the first curve, never looking back from that point onwards. It was his 19th win of his career and his seventh so far this season, giving him 312.5 points to the Briton’s 293.5.

Sergio “Checo” Perez – also driving for Red Bull – became the first Mexican driver to mount the winners’ podium in his country’s Grand Prix competition, taking the third spot and even threatening Hamilton’s No. 2 position in the final laps.

France’s Pierre Gasly (with AlphaTauri) came in fourth, followed by Monaco’s Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Spain’s Carlos Sainz (also with Ferrari).

Rounding out the point zone were Germany’s Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo), Spain’s Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and Britain’s Lando Norris (McLaren).

The race, after its treachorous first curve – which forced the withdrawal of Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) and Germany’s Mick Schumacher (Haas), and knocked pole man Valtteri Bottas back 17 positions after he got spun by Daniel Ricciardo – transpired normally without any further incidents and with tire strategy and tactics the main element among the favorites, although once the race positions were determined after the first moments there was little in the way of excitement.

Four races remain in the 2021 Formula One season, with the series races in Brazil next week and then Qatar in two weeks’ time, followed by a week-long break and then contests in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

EFE mam/sab/bp

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