Ferrari have claimed victory at the Mexican Grand Prix, earning two podium positions to keep alive their championship dreams. Coming off of an excellent weekend in Austin, Ferrari arrived in Mexico City determined to challenge McLaren and Red Bull for Constructors Championship glory.
Charles Leclerc expressed confidence about Ferrari’s chances in the current championship after winning at COTA last weekend, noting their team motivation and potential of closing on McLaren with five races remaining.
The first Free Practice session saw a substitute appearance by Ollie Bearman for Leclerc, which ended prematurely due to a collision. Despite this setback, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz showed promising pace, finishing in P2 during the initial session and topping the time sheets in the second Free Practice.
Both Ferraris demonstrated their competitiveness throughout the practice sessions, with strong performances that raised expectations for Qualifying day.
In a tightly contested battle for pole position at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Sainz clinched the top spot, outperforming title contenders Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. This marked Sainz’s first pole position since Singapore the previous season, setting the stage for an exciting race.
The race day saw Ferrari dominate, with both Leclerc and Sainz starting on Medium tyres. Despite losing the lead to Verstappen early on, Sainz executed a brilliant overtake following a Safety Car period. Leclerc managed to secure second place, establishing a Ferrari 1-2 early in the race.
Ferrari maintained control throughout the Grand Prix, with both cars showcasing consistent pace. Tire management proved crucial, as both drivers switched to Hard tyres mid-race without losing positions.
At the conclusion of the race, Leclerc found himself losing ground to Norris; nevertheless he managed to secure fastest lap after pitting strategically for Soft tyres and then recovering his position to claim fastest lap after another pit stop for softs tyres. Carlos Sainz eventually emerged victorious – becoming first Ferrari driver since Alain Prost to claim victory there; Leclerc finished third overall.
With their victory, Ferrari took over second place in the Constructors’ Championship from Red Bull and remain confident about winning in future victories – giving their chances in this championship race an added edge.