Bonus-malus: Verstappen (Red Bull) gains height, Bottas (Mercedes) sinks, Gasly (AlphaTauri) outperforms

The note: 3/5

A 2/5 for the race and a bonus point for this atmosphere that we never tire of!

The winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

With him, a breach becomes a door wide open. He saw that it was a gift at the start with Valtteri Bottas, so he let himself be towed by the Mercedes and the matter was settled. “This is what made my race, did he declare. I was able to focus on myself and get ahead because we had a very good pace. It was a pretty straightforward race. “

Verstappen does not think about the title but admits that “it looks good”

Nine wins in 18 races and 19 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton, it’s undeniably a champion’s pace.

Casually, he still carved out a little place for himself in the history of the race with this third record-breaking victory in Mexico City, one more than Jim Clark, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Lewis Hamilton.

The beaten: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

The Briton must blame himself for having let slip pole position (for 0 “145 anyway), because he would have liked to write a different story. Even if his boss Toto Wolff has not made it a secret: if he had come out of turn n ° 1 in the lead, he would have ended up losing so much the Red Bull n ° 33 was above the lot.

“Terrible”, “it does not console me”, false “damage limitation”: Mercedes K.-O. upright

The Phantom Teammate: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

It’s embarrassing, it’s as if he had driven for Max Verstappen (Red Bull) at the start. Without sketching out the slightest blocking maneuver as any defense reflex would have ordered.

At the end of the race, he still had a little niac left, that’s why he waged a little war in the Batavian. The time to see the blue flags bloom urging him to stop his little number. He nevertheless went for the best lap to deprive the winner of an additional point without personally benefiting from it. Understandable in form, always unsportsmanlike in substance even if he is not the first to do so.

Unable to get rid of Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), he again showed his limits. As his boss Toto Wolff had said quite awkwardly, he is not the caliber of Lewis Hamilton but he will make a very good rookie for Alfa Romeo. Roll on 2022 …

The hero: Sergio Pérez (Red Bull)

The day of the firsts: by lining up three podiums, “Checo” finally became the first Mexican to reach the podium of a Grand Prix at home. Acclaimed at the slightest of his appearances for three days, he was celebrated as a world champion, and even carried in triumph, which Lewis Hamilton was not entitled to on the day of his coronation, in 2017 and 2018.

At the same time, unfortunately that says a lot about his ambitions and the mark he wants to leave in Formula 1, the day his teammate demonstrated to get closer to the title.

The big perf: Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri)

Solid and steadfast as long as his machine gives him the opportunity. For the seventh time in the top 5 in qualifying, the Frenchman completed 59 of 71 laps in fourth place. The Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton in another galaxy, he countered the Ferraris he kept behind him to score 12 points which places AlphaTauri at the level of Alpine, in 5th place among manufacturers.

Gasly 4th on fire: a “fantastic” weekend and a “very professional” behavior

On the rise: Ferrari

Good teamwork from the Scuderia, which as often this season has diversified its strategies to maximize its chances. She stopped Charles Leclerc early (31st lap) to put Pierre Gasly under pressure, with the idea of ​​keeping Carlos Sainz on the track longer (pitstop in the 43rd) to challenge the Frenchman at the end. The two played the game since “Charlot” let Carlos pass to go and titillate the AlphaTauri driver, before recovering his fifth place.

The anti-Gasly operation did not work but the loot – 18 points – put the Scuderia back in third place in the Constructors’ Championship ahead of McLaren. “We showed our good team spirit, we maximized things”, welcomed the Monegasque.

The bonus: Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo)

At almost 42 years old, the Finn confides his fed up with being there, his desire to see the last checkered flag of his career, in Abu Dhabi. It is more and more difficult to manage at Alfa Romeo but it still does the job from time to time. With determination as Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) and George Russell (Williams) could see.

Already excellent 12th in qualifying – his best performance in 2021 – Iceman signed his second top 8 in four races, whereas before that, his previous Top 8 went back to 2019.

The penalty: Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren)

The Australian apologized for spoiling Valtteri Bottas’ race. “The first few hundred meters are always fun because there are so many aspirations to take, and it’s chaos, he told Sky Sports. Under braking, I thought there was room for Pérez inside, and that was the kind of opportunity to grab because otherwise someone else was going to do it. I thought I had a reasonable place to do it. “

But the feeling remains the same this season vis-à-vis “Dan The Man”: it is in on / off mode.

The number: 4

Max Verstappen won both races at Spielberg before Spa-Francorchamps and Mexico, the three circuits located at the highest altitudes so far. He will be able to complete his collection in Sao Paulo, the highest course in the championship (over 800 meters) after the 2,285 meters in the Mexican capital.

Declaration: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) *

“I had looked at it differently, in the sense that, maybe, Valtteri would have had a better start and I would have tried to take his aspiration. But I was next to him, which was perfect, and I was just covering my side of the track to make sure no one came in. I was trying to keep any Red Bull I could see in my mirrors behind me, and I figured Valtteri would do it. But obviously he left the door open for Max, and Max was on the line and did a great job braking at turn # 1. I was on the inside and got nothing. could do. It was hopeless for me. “

* at motorsport.com

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