Formula 1 Gran Premio De La Ciudad De Mexico 2021 Preview

Formula One travels to Mexico for round 18 of the calendar, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen leading Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton by 12 points coming into this weekend’s Grand Prix at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, following the Dutchman’s impressive win at the American GP last time out ahead of Hamilton, which was the first time a Red Bull had won in Texas since Sebastien Vettel did so in 2013.

In the race for the Constructor’s title, the Bulls cut Mercedes’ gap down to 23 points, as Sergio Perez completed the podium, whilst Valtteri Bottas could only manage sixth in the race, following another engine change. Meanwhile, McLaren lead Ferrari by just four points in the battle for third, as Charles LeClerc and Carlos Sainz finished in fourth and seventh, with Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris losing out fifth and eight places. Yuki Tsunoda and Vettel completed the top 10 in Austin last time out.

In recent years the Mexican GP has significantly the Red Bull’s meaning that Hamilton could have his work cut out if he is to try and outscore Verstappen here, although qualifying will give a much clearer picture to how the weekend will plan out.

Verstappen qualified on pole the last time the sport came here in 2019, although Hamilton did win the race itself as he reaped the rewards for an aggressive overtake against Verstappen which forced the Dutchman on the grass before the Red Bull man suffered a puncture in a wheel to wheel battle against Valtteri Bottas later on in the race.

Prior to Hamilton’s win here, Red Bull and Verstappen had won the last two races here and it is hard to see past this happening again.

Prediction: Pole Position: Verstappen. 2nd. Hamilton. 3rd. Perez

Home favourite Perez will be looking to make the most of what should be the quickest car on the track this weekend and team principal Christian Horner will be hoping to see the Mexican play a vital supporting role for Verstappen against Hamilton as he did in Azerbaijan until the Dutch driver had a dramatic tyre blowout late on in the race.

It would not be a surprise to see both Red Bull’s on the podium for a second race running as Perez looks to have gotten himself into the groove with back to back finishes on the podium in Turkey and America.

Verstappen’s win at Austin was against the usual form guide for that circuit as mentioned above, although Hamilton did run him almightily close, with the Dutch driver perhaps grateful in the end for the DRS he gained from backmarker Mick Schumacher in the race, however, we expect this to be more of a simple task in the 24-year-old’s quest to win his first World Driver’s Championship.

Prediction: 1st. Verstappen. 2nd. Hamilton. 3rd. Perez

Both LeClerc and Sainz will know that they have the chance to help their team overtake McLaren in the Constructors standings following their results in Texas, the Monegasque driver has had back to back fourth-place finishes, whilst Sainz will want to build from the seventh-place he managed last time out.

Norris and Ricciardo will likewise know that they will have a game on their hands to stay ahead of the Ferrari’s. Norris is fifth on the driver’s standings having slid one point behind Perez, but since the Brit’s home race, his second-place finish at Monza behind his Australian teammate remains the only time he has finished above seventh in a race. Ricciardo’s return to form has come at the right time for his team, the former Renault and Red Bull driver will be hoping to build on the 49 points that he has scored in his last four races.

Pierre Gasly recorded his fourth DNF of the season at the Circuit of Americas and will be looking to bounce back, as the Frenchman has consistently been in the points this season and even managed six top-six finishes, including his podium at Azerbaijan.

Fellow Alphatauri driver Tsunoda made it into the top 10 at the last GP which was just the fifth time that the Japanese racer has done so this season and in the sister car of the Red Bull’s who are expected to have strong pace again this weekend, there is every chance that the 21-year-old could see himself within a chance of the points.

The Alpine’s will be looking for a reaction as Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon’s double DNFs didn’t particularly help their fight to stay in front of Aston Martin, but, thankfully for the French Constructor, Vettel managed just one point, whilst Lance Stroll finished 12th.