Carlos Sainz drove to victory in an unstoppable manner during the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday. The Spaniard had to relinquish the lead to Max Verstappen in the first lap, but managed to fight his way back to claim his second win of the season. This may be his last triumph with Scuderia, as Sainz will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton next year. “It’s incredible to be able to win for this audience,” he responded afterwards.
“I really needed this one,” a visibly emotional Carlos Sainz said about the Mexico City Grand Prix. “I really wanted to win one more time for Ferrari. I have nothing to lose in the next four races, but hopefully this wasn’t the last time.” The Spanish veteran lost the lead in the opening phase of the race to Max Verstappen, but was then able to take advantage of his battle with title rival Lando Norris. He controlled his pace for the rest of the race, securing the fourth victory of his career.
“It’s incredible to be able to win for this audience,” Sainz laughed. He thanked the ecstatic Mexican fans, who for the first time saw a Spanish-speaking driver win at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. “I’ve felt their support over the past few days. The atmosphere here is fantastic, gracias a todos!”
Thanks to Carlos Sainz’s victory, Ferrari has overtaken rival Red Bull in the constructors’ championship. The Italians are now twenty-nine points behind McLaren. With four more Grand Prix on the calendar, they have a chance at their first title since 2008. Reigning champion Red Bull, meanwhile, is falling further behind in the championship; the difference with Ferrari is twenty-five points.
