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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 have 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, known 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 achieved the feat. This season is the primary time Sainz has gained 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 combat earlier than summer season break, however its current upgrades have helped push the Maranello-based group to second within the standings with 4 races to go. It’s truthful to say that Ferrari might be within the combine once more in 2025 if issues keep the course.
However it’ll be with out Sainz.
“Truthfully, I actually wished this one — I wanted it for myself, I wished to get it completed,” Sainz stated. “I’ve been saying for some time I wished yet 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 need to get pleasure from as a lot as potential, 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 the direction of Flip 1, although that wasn’t stunning. Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a low-grip observe, and because the Ferrari driver famous, Crimson Bull tends to start out nicely at these circuits. Verstappen stayed on the within of Sainz heading into Flip 1, and although Sainz stated he braked as late as he may, 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 protection automotive for a number of laps. Verstappen nailed the restart, however Sainz stayed in his rearview mirrors, by no means letting the Crimson Bull stray too far out of sight. He made his transfer on Lap 9.
“With Max, you could be decided. It is advisable be decisive,” Sainz stated. “For those who’re not, you’re by no means going to cross him. And in that case, I believe I caught him a bit abruptly, and I may 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 closing 100 meters, Sainz stated, “I felt like I had a superb 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 might be aggressive and ship one.”
He described it as a “excessive rigidity” second as a result of a chaotic battle unfolded between Verstappen and Lando Norris behind him. It resulted within the Crimson 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 closing laps. Forward of all of them, it gave the impression to be a quite 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 somewhat quick shift and it gave me a misfire, which was a bit scary, however we’ve had them throughout the weekend and we all know it’s as a result of 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 potential.”
Sainz retook the lead from Verstappen with a daring lunge into Flip 1. (Mark Thompson / Getty Photographs)
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 boundaries, saving it on the final second.
It might not have been a Ferrari 1-2 in the long run; nevertheless, the primary and third-place finishes, plus Leclerc securing the quickest lap, was sufficient to launch the group forward of Crimson Bull within the standings — a 25-point result in be particular.
‘The proper goodbye’
Sainz admitted he shed a tear because the Spanish nationwide anthem performed in celebration at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Slightly below the rostrum stood his dad and mom, Carlos Sainz Sr. and Reyes Vázquez de Castro, and his associate, Rebecca Donaldson. His greatest buddies additionally attended the race weekend, and all these current made this second that a lot sweeter.
“It’s probably the greatest 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 wished actually to win a race in entrance of her,” Sainz stated. “On prime of that, the way in which the entire weekend panned out, it was simply excellent.
“Shedding at first after which having to combat again with Max simply made the whole lot a bit extra difficult. Most likely makes it style even higher as a result of I needed to work exhausting for it.”
Sainz celebrated together with his father, household and buddies after the race. (Jared C. Tilton / Getty Photographs)
It has been an extended 12 months, not only for Ferrari but additionally for Sainz. Information broke in February that Lewis Hamilton would be part of the group in 2025, leaving the 30-year-old with no 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 group attempting to rebuild.
In the meantime, Ferrari began the season competitively earlier than falling into a difficult improvement stretch that noticed it drop behind McLaren and Mercedes by summer season break. It introduced upgrades in Monza, and Leclerc gained, 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 potential.” Ferrari is 29 factors behind McLaren, which leads the standings with 566 factors. However as Sainz famous, the group will must be constant. Successful the constructors’ championship for the primary time since 2008 could be the right sendoff for Sainz.
“I believe it may have been fairly straightforward 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 nicely,” Sainz stated. “I managed to regain a little bit of the dedication and the drive that I wanted for these final 5, six races of the season. And I managed to place myself able with bettering my driving, my confidence with the automotive, to place myself able to, first, win in Austin that I didn’t make it occur — Charles did an important job there — and put myself able to win right here and this one I used to be simply going to verify it doesn’t slip from my arms.
“Not a straightforward 12 months, however happy with the way in which that I’ve managed to maintain myself in it and clearly attempting to assist the group now as a lot as I can to win these constructors as a result of it will be the right goodbye for me.”
(Prime photograph: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Photographs)
