2024 F1 Round 20 Mexico City GP — Sainz wins from pole, Norris second, Verstappen sixth after 20 seconds of penalties, Tsunoda out on lap one

The 2024 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, round 20 of the season, concluded after 71 laps at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in the early hours of 28 October, Beijing time. Pole-sitter Carlos Sainz took victory in 1:40:55.800, his second win of the season and his first since Australia in March. It was also his first victory from pole that year. Lando Norris finished second, 4.705 seconds behind, while Charles Leclerc lost the runner-up spot after a late mistake but completed the podium in third. RB’s Yuki Tsunoda retired after a first-lap collision.

The Safety Car appeared on the opening lap. Pierre Gasly moved towards the outside before braking for Turn 1, prompting Alex Albon, on his outside, to make a slight adjustment to avoid him. Further out, Tsunoda braked late to fight for position, and his right-rear made contact with Albon’s left-front. Both retired. Tsunoda, Albon and Williams team principal James Vowles agreed afterwards that it had simply been an unfortunate racing incident. Fernando Alonso’s 400th Grand Prix weekend also ended early. Debris from the first-lap accident became lodged in a brake duct and caused overheating, forcing him to return to the garage on lap 16.

The battle at the front was intense. Verstappen made a strong start to pass Sainz for the lead at Turn 1 on the opening lap, but Sainz reclaimed the position on the inside of the same corner on lap 9. On lap 10, Norris and Verstappen clashed twice. Norris first attacked around the outside of Turn 4, where Verstappen forced him off the track. Both then ran wide at Turn 8, allowing Leclerc to take advantage and move into second. The stewards gave Verstappen 10 seconds for each incident, and the championship leader eventually finished sixth.

Leclerc held second until the closing stages, but with nine laps remaining Norris had closed to within a second. Leclerc then lost control on the exit of the final corner and ran off the track. Although he salvaged a podium in third, Ferrari’s chance of a second consecutive one-two after the United States Grand Prix disappeared. Leclerc set the fastest lap on the final tour. Hamilton finished fourth. Russell, whose front-left wing had been damaged, resisted his team-mate’s attacks for nearly 20 laps before Hamilton passed him at Turn 1 with six laps remaining, leaving Russell fifth.

Home favourite Sergio Pérez endured a difficult weekend. He gained five places on the opening lap but received a five-second penalty for being out of position in his grid slot. Damage to his sidepod and floor while chasing Liam Lawson on lap 19 left him unable to fight back, and he finished his home race 17th and last among the finishers. Lawson, who had battled with Pérez throughout the afternoon, collided with Franco Colapinto in the final five laps, damaging his front wing and forcing a pit stop before he finished 16th. Pérez said afterwards that the rookie should show more humility. Haas scored with both cars, Kevin Magnussen finishing seventh and Nico Hülkenberg ninth. Oscar Piastri recovered strongly from 17th on the grid to eighth, extending the longest opening stint in the field before making his first stop on lap 39. Gasly took the final point for Alpine.

One week later, the championship would move to São Paulo in Brazil to complete the three consecutive race weekends in the Americas.