Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix with Lewis Hamilton second and Charles Leclerc third.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen set a new F1 record by claiming his 16th victory of the 2023 season at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Recall, for instance, how Hamilton effectively stopped trying – present in body but not in spirit – after securing his third title in 2015, letting the final three races of that season go to Nico Rosberg and unwittingly gifting his Mercedes team-mate a boost of confidence that he would carry into the following year.
If he can win in Brazil, Vegas and Abu Dhabi before 2023 is over, he will start next season requiring just three more victories to equal yet another of his own records. Despite a punishing year alongside Verstappen, his confidence draining away with each passing race, there was no evidence this weekend that Perez’s popularity at home has suffered.
He hasn’t been for quite some time now, so much so that it felt pointless to even pose the traditional, tiresome pre-Mexico question – will Verstappen help Perez to victory ? – on this occasion. Even after that, the fans who chose to remain in the grandstands greeted him with that familiar warmth when he made his way to the pit wall to thank them, paying tribute to another lost soul.
But how could they ever justify doing that when he was struggling to establish the upper hand over a driver of Yuki Tsunoda’s calibre? When his first three races back, either side of his broken hand, were so inconclusive?This weekend was the first real glimpse of the Daniel of old; the Daniel to whom Red Bull bid farewell to at the end of 2018; the Daniel they recognised in the Silverstone test in the RB19 in July.
Ricciardo has always had a special place in Red Bull’s heart – see over the last 12 months how they relished the chance to bring him back as a reserve driver, assisted his rehab with sim sessions, found him a race seat at the first opportunity and loyally stood by him following his injury – but doubts have persisted about whether he is what the team truly need.
Unlike Perez, who did exactly that at the start of the rain-affected sprint race in Austria, an act of war he will live to regret. For Christian Horner and co, the temptation give Ricciardo back his old seat is becoming ever harder to resist.Lando Norris had been here before, watching his team-mate win a race and then finding himself in the lead of the very next grand prix.
Perhaps it wouldn’t be so hard to take if Piastri – as opposed to Ricciardo, winner at Monza two years ago – was not proving such a serious and sustained threat to Norris’s position as McLaren team leader. Even as the podiums keep racking up, they all seem to feel a bit like that at the moment as the wait to the win goes on and on. Second and third-place trophies are welcome, but not enough to satisfy him – not what he really needs – anymore. How his latest tiny error must have tormented him on Saturday night.
Is it possible that, with a clean and error-free weekend, it could still come his way before the close of 2023? It is potentially crucial to his hopes of containing Piastri into next year.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sergio Perez Crashes Out at Mexican Grand PrixRed Bull's Sergio Perez had a nightmare start to the Mexican Grand Prix race as he crashed out at turn 1 after a collision with Charles Leclerc.
Read more »
What we learned from Friday F1 practice at the 2023 Mexican Grand PrixThe was nothing out the ordinary in Max Verstappen leading both opening practice sessions for Red Bull at Formula 1’s 2023 Mexican Grand Prix, but the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez presents a unique challenge to the drivers and yesterday the Mexico City climate added an unexpected one for the drivers to boot.
Read more »
Guenther Steiner shares Mexican Grand Prix concerns after Friday practiceNico Hulkenberg was 15th in Friday's practice with Kevin Magnussen P19.
Read more »
Kevin Magnussen Suffers Major Crash at Mexican Grand PrixKevin Magnussen's car broke during the Mexican Grand Prix, causing a major crash. Despite the impact, Magnussen was able to escape the car unharmed. The race was temporarily halted to repair the damaged barrier.
Read more »
Verstappen Wins Mexican Grand Prix with Dominant PerformanceMax Verstappen secures victory at the Mexican Grand Prix after a strong start and maintains his lead throughout the race. Lewis Hamilton finishes in second place, while Charles Leclerc takes third.
Read more »
Mexican Grand Prix: Max Verstappen smashes another F1 record in incident-filled raceMax Verstappen has broken his own single-season win record, and now matches Alain Prost in the all-time winners' list.
Read more »