Max Verstappen turned a fifth-place start into victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, seizing on Ferrari’s battle and using a well-timed pit stop to get ahead of Charles Leclerc. He held off Lewis Hamilton to the finish, crediting a strong start, Red Bull’s strategy and his willingness to take opportunities.

By the Numbers
  • Verstappen won by 0.799 seconds over Hamilton.
  • The victory was Verstappen’s third of the season.
  • He now leads Hamilton by 2 points in the Drivers’ Championship battle for second.
Yes, But

Verstappen benefited from Ferrari’s intra-team fight and Leclerc’s five-second penalty, but the win was far from straightforward: Ferrari had strong pace, and Hamilton pressured him through the closing stages.

State of Play
  • Verstappen started fifth, moved up to third on the opening lap, then passed Leclerc through Red Bull’s pit strategy.
  • Hamilton challenged on both restarts but could not pass Verstappen.
  • Kimi Antonelli has already secured the title; Verstappen’s win puts him 2 points ahead of Hamilton in the fight for second.
What’s Next

Verstappen says Red Bull will carry lessons from the team’s strengths and weaknesses into next year.

Bottom Line

Verstappen converted a messy opening and a strategic opportunity into a hard-fought win, showing how quickly a race can turn when a driver is ready to capitalize.