Five rapid insights from the legendary Mexico GP

Leclerc and Hamilton clash costs Ferrari a victory

Ferrari was in a prime position to secure its third win of the season in Mexico. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were positioned first and third on the grid, while front-row starter George Russell fell dramatically during the second phase of the start.

The red cars battled side by side in the initial corners, with Hamilton narrowly keeping his lead out of Turn 3, but when Leclerc attempted a move around the outside in Turn 4, both ended up going off track, with the Monegasque cutting the corner.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Hamilton lost momentum and was overtaken by Verstappen; Leclerc received a five-second penalty – which was considered more lenient than the usual 10 seconds due to mitigating factors, as explained by the stewards – but it wasn’t enough to stop Verstappen in the pitlane.

The Monegasque subsequently lost two more positions at the second start – after the race was red-flagged due to Valtteri Bottas’ crash – and flat-spotted his tyres in the process.

To be clear: this race had the potential for a Ferrari 1-2 finish, but under the checkered flag, it ended as a 2-4 due to their drivers' missteps. And Hamilton's persistent calls for a stricter penalty for his teammate probably wasn’t what Fred Vasseur had in mind either.

- Ben Vinel

Verstappen's latest victory confirms Red Bull's resurgence

Kimi Antonelli is fortunate that Red Bull's season start wasn’t strong - and Max Verstappen lost too much ground early on to realistically stay in the championship race. Had he remained competitive, there would be a lot more for the Italian to be concerned about this year.

Instead, what we are witnessing now isn’t a comeback in the championship context - but it’s a clear demonstration of Verstappen's capabilities. Once Red Bull provided him with a car competitive enough to challenge at the front, he took full advantage of it.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

His win in Mexico marks his third in the past four races. He has stood on the podium in every race since his retirement at Zandvoort - and that serves as a significant indication that Red Bull and its Flying Dutchman should not be written off in the chase for next year’s championship.

– Oleg Karpov

Ryo Hirakawa fulfilled all expectations

Hirakawa arrived in Mexico to participate in FP1 before settling in for a quiet weekend observing the remainder of the events from the Haas garage. However, on Saturday morning, he learned he would need to drive in FP3, qualifying, and the race, following the team's decision to replace Esteban Ocon after a disagreement on Friday night.

At 32, the Japanese driver was making his Formula 1 debut, and he delivered exactly what was asked of him. Admittedly, he qualified nearly nine tenths of a second behind his teammate, but he still outperformed three competitors in Q1 and went on to finish the race without a single error, even navigating two standing starts.

Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1 Team, Laura Mueller, Haas F1 Team

Haas has already established its 2027 driver lineup with Bearman and Camara, but Hirakawa demonstrated that he could be valuable if the situation with Ocon remains unresolved and the team opts against promoting Camara just yet while he contends for the Formula 2 title. First, however, Hirakawa has another crucial task next weekend: clinching the WEC title alongside his teammates in the #8 Toyota at Monza. Or might he head to Sao Paulo with Formula 1 instead, given that he would be crowned champion anyway, even if he didn’t compete in the WEC?

- Jose Carlos de Celis

Is Bottas justified in feeling "confident" about 2027?

Valtteri Bottas asserts he is "pretty confident" he has his place secured at Cadillac for 2027, stating that "everything needs to be confirmed with the big bosses in the USA".

However, his performances throughout the season have not matched those of teammate Sergio Perez, and that was evident once more this weekend. On Saturday, he was outqualified for the fourth straight time, finishing seven tenths behind. The aggregate score stands at 15-9 in favor of Perez — and it’s worth noting that the Mexican is not particularly known for being a strong qualifier.

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

The left-front suspension failure that sent Bottas into the barriers was certainly not his fault, but his Sunday performance had been rather inconspicuous until then. He struggled in the back of the pack, showing significantly less pace than Perez, who held 13th place during the opening segment of the race and demonstrated that the Cadillac had the potential for more.

Bottas will surely have more clarity regarding his contractual status with the team, and his main competitor for the seat, Colton Herta, has not particularly shone in Formula 2 or during his FP1 outings either. Nevertheless, it will be intriguing to see what unfolds if the American finally secures his superlicence for the upcoming year.

- Federico Faturos