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MEXICO CITY — Carlos Sainz climbed on prime of his vibrant crimson Ferrari, spreading his arms large earlier than elevating his fists within the air.
The feelings had been evident. The Spaniard began the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix from pole, and although he misplaced the result in Max Verstappen, Sainz regained first and put collectively one of many strongest drives of his System One profession. His race engineer, Ricciardo Adami, referred to as Sunday’s efficiency “a grasp class” over the radio on the finish of the race.
Sainz is the primary driver to win the Mexico Metropolis GP from pole in eight years and the primary Ferrari driver to win the race since 1990 when Alain Prost completed the feat. This season is the primary time Sainz has received a number of grands prix — the primary in Australia 16 days after surgical procedure and now right here in Mexico.
Ferrari wasn’t ok to be within the constructors’ title battle earlier than summer season break, however its latest upgrades have helped push the Maranello-based crew to second within the standings with 4 races to go. It’s truthful to say that Ferrari may very well be within the combine once more in 2025 if issues keep the course.
Nevertheless it’ll be with out Sainz.
“Truthfully, I actually needed this one — I wanted it for myself, I needed to get it carried out,” Sainz stated. “I’ve been saying for some time I needed another win earlier than leaving Ferrari, and to do it right here in entrance of this mega crowd is unbelievable.
“Now 4 races left, I wish to take pleasure in as a lot as attainable, and if one other one comes, I’ll go for it.”
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How the victory unfolded
Sainz needed to work for his second victory of the season.
Verstappen took the lead after the grid barreled in direction of Flip 1, although that wasn’t shocking. Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a low-grip monitor, and because the Ferrari driver famous, Purple Bull tends to start out properly at these circuits. Verstappen stayed on the within of Sainz heading into Flip 1, and although Sainz stated he braked as late as he might, Verstappen did the identical. This left Sainz with “no area to enter Flip 2.” Verstappen emerged with the early race lead.
Due to the early collision between Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda, the grid settled behind the security automotive for a number of laps. Verstappen nailed the restart, however Sainz stayed in his rearview mirrors, by no means letting the Purple Bull stray too far out of sight. He made his transfer on Lap 9.
“With Max, you should be decided. You want to be decisive,” Sainz stated. “In case you’re not, you’re by no means going to move him. And in that case, I believe I caught him a bit without warning, and I might make it stick.”
With some assist from DRS and a tow, Sainz lunged previous the Dutchman to re-secure a lead the Spaniard by no means relinquished. The Ferrari driver initially appeared too far again to make the transfer, however within the ultimate 100 meters, Sainz stated, “I felt like I had an excellent momentum, and I’ve been feeling very assured braking into Flip 1 this weekend. The automotive has been giving me confidence to brake late there, and I simply went for it, and it occurred. Additionally, this mentality of understanding I had a bit much less to lose in that battle and that I may very well be aggressive and ship one.”
He described it as a “excessive stress” second as a result of a chaotic battle unfolded between Verstappen and Lando Norris behind him. It resulted within the Purple Bull driver receiving two 10-second time penalties, which he served on the primary pit cease.
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As soon as Sainz regained the lead, roughly 60 or so laps remained. Loads of motion unfolded all through the race, like Liam Lawson battling Sergio Pérez or Norris looking Charles Leclerc in these ultimate laps. Forward of all of them, it seemed to be a moderately problem-free race for Sainz apart from the report of a misfire. He stated that was an “remoted incident.”
“The one misfire I had all race was on the exit of Flip 3. Touchdown after the curb, I did slightly quick shift and it gave me a misfire, which was a bit scary, however we’ve had them through the weekend and we all know it’s because of the altitude and the mapping,” Sainz stated. “However as soon as I used to be within the lead, I used to be trusting my tempo, my administration, and I knew this weekend I’ve been very fast, and I knew I simply needed to do no matter I had deliberate, and the win was attainable.”
Sainz retook the lead from Verstappen with a daring lunge into Flip 1. (Mark Thompson / Getty Pictures)
At round lap 49, Sainz additionally raised over the radio that he felt Ferrari was pushing too exhausting. It was a Prancing Horse 1-2 on the time, and Leclerc wasn’t far behind. The Monegasque driver, although, misplaced second in a battle with Norris. He misplaced the rear and almost hit the obstacles, saving it on the final second.
It might not have been a Ferrari 1-2 ultimately; nonetheless, the primary and third-place finishes, plus Leclerc securing the quickest lap, was sufficient to launch the crew forward of Purple Bull within the standings — a 25-point result in be particular.
‘The right goodbye’
Sainz admitted he shed a tear because the Spanish nationwide anthem performed in celebration at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Just under the rostrum stood his mother and father, Carlos Sainz Sr. and Reyes Vázquez de Castro, and his companion, Rebecca Donaldson. His greatest mates additionally attended the race weekend, and all these current made this second that a lot sweeter.
“It’s among the best moments in my profession. My mother had by no means been current on a race win with me, and the truth that she was coming right here this weekend, I needed actually to win a race in entrance of her,” Sainz stated. “On prime of that, the best way the entire weekend panned out, it was simply excellent.
“Shedding firstly after which having to battle again with Max simply made all the things a bit extra tough. Most likely makes it style even higher as a result of I needed to work exhausting for it.”
Sainz celebrated along with his father, household and mates after the race. (Jared C. Tilton / Getty Pictures)
It has been an extended yr, not only for Ferrari but in addition for Sainz. Information broke in February that Lewis Hamilton would be part of the crew in 2025, leaving the 30-year-old with out a seat regardless of being aggressive among the many prime groups. It wasn’t till late July that the announcement got here that Sainz would head to Williams Racing subsequent season, a crew attempting to rebuild.
In the meantime, Ferrari began the season competitively earlier than falling into a tough improvement stretch that noticed it drop behind McLaren and Mercedes by summer season break. It introduced upgrades in Monza, and Leclerc received, however time would inform if it was a correct step ahead. That affirmation got here in Austin when Ferrari went 1-2, with Leclerc successful his third grand prix of the season.
Leclerc stated that the constructors’ championship is “realistically attainable.” Ferrari is 29 factors behind McLaren, which leads the standings with 566 factors. However as Sainz famous, the crew will should be constant. Profitable the constructors’ championship for the primary time since 2008 can be the right sendoff for Sainz.
“I believe it might have been fairly simple for me to lose a little bit of motivation and to lose a little bit of the drive to make it occur, however these three weeks of break (after Singapore) served me properly,” Sainz stated. “I managed to regain a little bit of the willpower and the drive that I wanted for these final 5, six races of the season. And I managed to place myself ready with bettering my driving, my confidence with the automotive, to place myself ready to, first, win in Austin that I didn’t make it occur — Charles did a fantastic job there — and put myself ready to win right here and this one I used to be simply going to verify it doesn’t slip from my palms.
“Not a simple yr, however happy with the best way that I’ve managed to maintain myself in it and clearly attempting to assist the crew now as a lot as I can to win these constructors as a result of it might be the right goodbye for me.”
(Prime photograph: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Pictures)
