Mexican GP – Bonus-Malus: Verstappen’s walk, Mercedes’ mistakes, Hamilton’s phlegm, McLaren bounces back

Rating: 1/5

As too often this season, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was alone in the world. This Mexican Grand Prix was stingy in battle, in the safety car and, more generally, in suspense. It was one of the quietest races of the year.

The winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

Since last season, the Dutchman has taken out a subscription to this category. After claiming the world crown for the second time in a row at Suzuka earlier this month, Max Verstappen has just won his 14th victory in 2022. He snatched the single-season success record from Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel ( 2013). In Mexico, on the land of his teammate Sergio Pérez, he won with sobriety.

He did not show his mastery and his science of attack. Instead, he authoritatively defended his pole at the first corner and took advantage of Red Bull’s perfectly executed strategy. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) lost for 15 seconds, Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) for 18 seconds and George Russell (Mercedes) failed at 49 seconds. A simple but effective performance.

The beaten: Mercedes

Fighting against a badly born single-seater, the German team has too often given the impression, this season, of being able to compensate for its technical delay with tactics. Except that, wham, the Mercedes strategists got their pencils tangled up in endless calculations and were blinded by their reluctance on a circuit that has often given the Silver Arrows a hard time. Fitting mediums, then hard ones, to its riders when the competition favored softs and mediums was clearly not a good idea.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) finished the race with a touch of disappointment. According to the Briton, Mercedes should have modeled its strategy on that of Red Bull. No more no less. After the criticism, he was in a positive state of mind on the radio after the end of the GP, congratulating his people for the work done. At the Canal + microphone, he was satisfied with the overall result.

George Russell was less diplomatic in the race. The young driver was impetuous on the radio, proclaiming his desire to conclude the race with apps and railing against the team’s decision to star. The hope of a victory in 2022 has certainly gone to the skies of Mexico City.

Revenge: McLaren

We weren’t giving a lot of men’s skin in orange on Sunday. Separated by the Alpines, Lando Norris (P8) and Daniel Ricciardo (P11) had to pull out all the stops to catch up with the Franco-British team in the Constructors’ standings. Mission accomplished: the Australian took a brilliant seventh place and his British teammate took over from Esteban Ocon (Alpine) in ninth position, while Fernando Alonso (Alpine) was once again betrayed by his engine.

McLaren nibbled four points and came back to within seven units of Alpine. Two races from the end, the Woking team still seems able to upset the balance of the field and steal fourth place from its rival.

Bonus: Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren)

That will do him the most good. Technically unemployed next season, Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) was named driver of the day by the fans. It was rather bad start for the Honey Badger, the morale in the bottom of the socks at the beginning of the weekend. Eleventh in qualifying foreshadowed a tough race, but he exceeded McLaren’s expectations by sitting seventh.

And how: the Australian had to fill a ten-second penalty for needlessly spearing Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) on the 51st lap. Behind, Ricciardo flew over the middle of the grid, leaping from P11 to P7 ahead of Esteban Ocon (Alpine). His strategy of putting on softs has paid off.

The penalty: Ferrari

Wanted notices are posted in Mexico City: where have the Ferraris gone? We haven’t often seen the red single-seaters, which are nevertheless dapper, and it’s necessarily a bad sign when such an absence occurs during such a boring race. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, fifth and sixth respectively, suffered on the Rodriguez Brothers circuit. At 2,240 meters above sea level, their mount played some very bad tricks on them and proved to be very understeered.

The Monegasque was relegated 1 minute and 8 seconds behind the winner: “It’s a blow. What hurts is that I feel like we maximized absolutely everything today, and even having done that, we are one minute from Max, this which is huge. We need to improve on our bad days.” Scuderia Ferrari sees Mercedes galloping in its mirrors and returning to 40 units.

The number: 14

Like the number of victories won by Max Verstappen (Red Bull) this season. Also holder of the most points (416 against 413 for Lewis Hamilton in 2019), the Dutchman can aim for another mark. He must necessarily win the last two Grands Prix to equal the percentage of success of Michael Schumacher in 2004 (13 in 18 races, or 72.2%).

The statement: Fernando Alonso (Alpine)

It’s just unbelievable that only one or two cars drop out in every race and there’s always mine. For car #14, there are still reliability issues.