Controversy around Verstappen, Hamilton happy – points for discussion about the Mexican Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton © Gallo Images

Max Verstappen and Red Bull face a major challenge to stay in the Drivers’ Championship amid a growing storm of controversy and criticism following Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix.

Two 10-second penalties for the three-time world champion and a sixth-place finish allowed McLaren’s Lando Norris to cut 10 points off his lead as he came home second to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, setting up an intriguing confrontation over the next four race weekends.

AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from the dramas at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez:

VERSTAPPEN’S PENALTIES

After benefiting from stewards’ decisions in Austin, where he clashed with Norris during the United States Grand Prix, Max Verstappen experienced the opposite result twice on Sunday as Mexican race stewards set a precedent for new terms of cooperation.

After Carlos Sainz’s impressive victory, it was clear that Red Bull would no longer be able to benefit from the Dutchman’s aggressive defensive style and could suffer again in the coming races.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who has often complained that it was a stewards’ decision in Verstappen’s favor that cost seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton his eighth driver’s title at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, has clarified.

“A driver will always push for the maximum, and when the rules – the execution of the rules or the interpretation of the rules – allow for a certain way of racing, a driver like Max will always take advantage of that,” Wolff said.

“And I think that now there has been a new interpretation and implementation of these regulations. I think it will change the way everyone races in the future. You won’t see it anymore.

“I think you’ll probably have to leave room on the outside of the corner if there’s a car next to you – braking late and turning off the other car while going off the track, I don’t think that’s allowed anymore.”

The penalties were generally well received in the paddock as a signal that there was a change in interpretation – and for some it was long overdue and welcomed.

Hamilton laughed as he recalled: “I saw a bunch of cars in front of me and a cloud of smoke like dust and I knew what it was – I knew it had to be him – It was definitely him!”

Asked about the vexed issue of the sporting legality of Verstappen’s moves, Hamilton added: “Well, it’s always been a gray area. And that’s why he managed to do it for so long.

“I experienced this many times with Max. You shouldn’t be able to just throw your car in and overtake, then pull out and still hold the position.

As a result, Verstappen heads to Brazil for the Sao Paulo race, third in the triple, 47 points ahead of Norris, but sentenced to another penalty – this time for a probable engine change.

HAMILTON TIMING LOCATION ENABLED

Lewis Hamilton may not have won Sunday’s race in Mexico, but he had every reason to celebrate Ferrari’s second consecutive victory, knowing he will be racing for an in-form team next year.

Ironically, the triumphant Carlos Sainz showed his best form and the full support of his team and family, knowing that he was leaving a team climbing to the top under team principal Fred Vasseur.

Just like in 2013, when he unexpectedly left McLaren to join Mercedes, the Briton appears to have timed his move well and will enjoy being reunited with Vasseur, who led him to success in the Formula 3 Euroseries as a junior driver.

LECLERC AIMS for second place

Charles Leclerc has rarely reacted to Verstappen’s penalties as, as a Ferrari driver, he hopes to enjoy the team’s current form and overtake Norris in the drivers’ title race.

“I’m glad Max is being as aggressive as possible with Lando,” he said. “It helps me, at least it gives me a chance to get close to Lando in the drivers’ title race because it’s still a fight.

“If anything, it will be more of a fight between me and Lando than Max. I’ll just try to do my best until the end of the season and see.”