Mexican GP: Race - RE-CAP & RESULTS

MEXICAN GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton claimed his fifth Formula 1 title after finishing fourth in the Mexican Grand Prix.

    After finishing third in the US, the Mercedes driver only needed to finish seventh or higher to seal the 2018 title with two rounds remaining.

    His P4 finish – two places behind title rival Sebastian Vettel – puts him 64 points ahead of the Ferrari driver with just 50 points on offer from the final two races.

    Max Verstappen, who narrowly missed out on his first pole position, snatched the race lead from team-mate Daniel Ricciardo off the line. Hamilton also enjoyed a strong start and challenged Verstappen on the run to the first corner, but wasn’t able to get passed.

    Struggling with tyre wear, he wasn’t able to keep the pressure on Verstappen, allowing the Red Bull driver to escape up the road while he nursed his tyres.

    Behind him, Daniel Ricciardo was putting up a strong defence against Vettel in the battle for the final podium position. The pair were still fighting when they came up to lap Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez, who were locked in a battle for P8.

    The four drivers managed to avoid one another as the fights overlapped, and Vettel found a way past the Red Bull.

    With Hamilton once again nursing tyres – despite having come in for fresh rubber not long ago – it wasn’t long before Vettel was on his tail. The Ferrari easily slipped past the Mercedes and set about attempting to catch Verstappen.

    While Hamilton complained about tyres, Ricciardo closed in on the championship leader. He made a few half hearted attempts at his signature lunge, but was too far back to make a serious overtaking move.

    The Red Bull driver then attempted a move around the outside. Hamilton locked up and ran wide over the grass, allowing Ricciardo through.

    Hamilton and Vettel both came into the pits at the end of the lap, promoting Ricciardo to second, but it wasn’t an easy end to the race for the Australian.

    Vettel quickly closed onto the back of Ricciardo and looked set to pass his former team-mate again when smoke began to pour out the back of the Red Bull.

    Again, a mechanical problem brought an end to Ricciardo’s race. He pulled to the side of the track, prompting a virtual safety car.

    Vettel was now second again, but he couldn’t close the gap to Verstappen, who finished 17 seconds.

    Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen completed the podium after a tough battle with Bottas in the closing stages of the race. Raikkonen was behind Bottas when the Mercedes locked up and ran wide in almost exactly the same fashion as his team-mate.

    Bottas at the end of the lap, and then again during the virtual safety car which was brought out to recover Ricciardo’s car. He finished fifth, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and Leclerc.

    Stoffel Vandoorne, Marcus Ericsson, and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top 10.

    Brendon Hartley was once again in the wars on the opening lap, making contact with Esteban Ocon. Both cars were damaged, and debris from Ocon’s front wing flew back into the McLaren of Fernando Alonso.

    The debris became lodged behind Alonso’s front wing, bringing his race to an early end.

    Carlos Sainz came to a stop after 28 laps with an electrical issue, before home hero Sergio Perez came into the pits with a brake problem.

    After the early drama, Ocon finished P11, ahead of Hartley, Lance Stroll, and Sergey Sirotkin.

    Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean tried an alternate strategy with a long opening stint, but were the last of the finishers, with Magnussen finishing ahead of his team-mate.

RESULTS: 

1. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 25 Points
2. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 18 Points
3. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 15 Points
4. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 12 Points
5. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 10 Points
6. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / + 8 Points
7. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco / + 6 Points
8. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium / + 4 Points
9. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / + 2 Points
10. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France / + 1 Point
11. Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes
12. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
13. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
14. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
15. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
16. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

RETIRED - Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia / Hydraulics
RETIRED - Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / Brakes
RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain / Electrics
RETIRED - Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain / Debris

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Mexican GP: Qualifying - RE-CAP & RESULTS

MEXICAN GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Daniel Ricciardo took pole position ahead of the Mexican GP while Grosjean and Gasly suffered from penalties.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

4. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

5. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany

8. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain

9. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

10. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

11. Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France

12. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain

13. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

14. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

15. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

16. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

17. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

18. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France*

19. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

20. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France**

* - (Grosjean) 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for causing a collision with Leclerc during the US Grand Prix

** - (Gasly) 15-Place-Grid-Penalty for multiple engine component changes + 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for unscheduled gearbox change

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Mexican GP: Free Practice #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

MEXICAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Max Verstappen topped the third practice session in a row, setting a quickest time of 1:16.284 in his Red Bull. 

    Lewis Hamilton had a better session after a tough Friday. He was able to get himself up into second with a 1:16.538. Bottas finished much further down in 19th after suffering from a hydraulics problem during the session. His quickest time was a 1:18.839.

    Sebastian Vettel was third, ahead of Ricciardo who endured mechanical troubles. Kimi Raikkonen rounded up the top 5 with a 1:17.045.

    The Sauber duo had a good session with soon-to-be Ferrari driver, Leclerc, finishing in 6th with a 1:17.059 and Ericsson, finishing in 9th with a 1:17.565.

    Kevin Magnussen was the only driver to not set a time due to his intercooler needing to be replaced.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:16.284 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:16.538 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:16.566 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:17.028 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:17.045 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
6. Charles Leclerc - 1:17.059 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
7. Carlos Sainz - 1:17.336 / Renault-Renault / Spain
8. Pierre Gasly - 1:17.525 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
9. Marcus Ericsson - 1:17.565 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
10. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:17.623 / Renault-Renault / Germany
11. Esteban Ocon - 1:17.731 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
12. Sergio Perez - 1:17.819 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
13. Romain Grosjean - 1:18.145 / Haas-Ferrari / France
14. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:18.445 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
15. Fernando Alonso - 1:18.548 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
16. Brendon Hartley - 1:18.637 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
17. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:18.669 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
18. Lance Stroll - 1:18.698 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
19. Valtteri Bottas - 1:18.839 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Bottas
20. Kevin Magnussen - NO TIME SET / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark 

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Mexican GP: Free Practice #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

MEXICAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Max Verstappen once again led the pack, taking the top time in the second practice session of the Mexican GP weekend. This time it was a 1:16.720 that placed him in first, ahead of his team-mate. Despite this, he was unable to finish the session as his car lost power in the remaining minutes, due to a hydraulics problem.

    Ricciardo was close behind with a 1:16.873, ahead of Carlos Sainz who once again took third place as he had in the earlier session. His quickest time was a 1:17.953, putting him ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Nico Hulkenberg, who rounded up the top 5.

    Mercedes once again struggled with the pace. Lewis Hamilton finished the session in 7th with a 1:18.100, while Bottas was a couple places further down in 9th with a 1:18.140.

    Pierre Gasly had a better running in this session than in FP1 where he was limited to just 2 non-timed laps due to power unit issues. This time around he finished in 14th with a 1:19.047. Team-mate, Hartley, finished up in 6th with a 1:18.061. Toro Rosso has yet to announce if Hartley will continue with the team in 2019 or not.

    Raikkonen, Bottas and Perez were the other drivers to finish within the top 10.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:16.720 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:16.873 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
3. Carlos Sainz - 1:17.953 / Renault-Renault / Spain
4. Sebastian Vettel - 1:17.954 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
5. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:18.046 / Renault-Renault / Germany
6. Brendon Hartley - 1:18.061 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
7. Lewis Hamilton - 1:18.100 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
8. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:18.133 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
9. Valtteri Bottas - 1:18.140 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
10. Sergio Perez - 1:18.167 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
11. Esteban Ocon - 1:18.485 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
12. Romain Grosjean - 1:18.733 / Haas-Ferrari / France
13. Charles Leclerc - 1:19.024 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
14. Pierre Gasly - 1:19.047 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
15. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:19.096 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
16. Lance Stroll - 1:19.219 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
17. Marcus Ericsson - 1:19.322 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
18. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:19.335 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
19. Fernando Alonso - 1:19.543 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
20. Kevin Magnussen - 1:19.670 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

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Mexican GP: Free Practice #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

MEXICAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Max Verstappen topped the time-sheets in the first practice session of the Mexican GP weekend. 

    The young Dutch driver set a fastest time of 1:16.656, ahead of his Australian team-mate, Ricciardo, who set a 1:17.139.

    In a twist of results, Mercedes, nor Ferrari were next on the list. Instead it was the Renault duo with Carlos Sainz taking the third spot with a 1:17.926.

    Hulkenberg was fourth with a 1:18.028, ahead of Lewis Hamilton who completed the top 5 with a 1:18.075.

    Antonio Giovinazzi, who will have a full-time race seat in 2019 with Sauber, stepped into the drivers seat in place of Leclerc for the session. The Italian driver set a 1:19.34, putting him in 12th, just 2 spaces ahead of Ericsson in the other Sauber.

    Lando Norris took part in the session as well, replacing Fernando Alonso for the hour and a half. The young F2 driver was 15th fastest with a 1:19.646.

    Also competing in the session was Nicholas Latifi, current DAMS driver in F2. He replaced Esteban Ocon and finished in 10th with a 1:19.078, just ahead of home town hero, Sergio Perez, who was 11th with a 1:19.124.

    The only driver to not get a decent amount of running was Pierre Gasly, who ended up stuck in the garage while the team switched out his power unit. The Frenchman only managed 2 laps and was unable to set a time.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:16.656 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:17.139 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
3. Carlos Sainz - 1:17.926 / Renault-Renault / Spain
4. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:18.028 / Renault-Renault / Germany
5. Lewis Hamilton - 1:18.075 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
6. Valtteri Bottas - 1:18.322 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
7. Sebastian Vettel - 1:18.746 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
8. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:18.936 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
9. Brendon Hartley - 1:19.024 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
10. Nicholas Latifi - 1:19.078 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Canada*
11. Sergio Perez - 1:19.124 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
12. Antonio Giovinazzi - 1:19.134 / Sauber-Ferrari / Italy*
13. Romain Grosjean - 1:19.276 / Haas-Ferrari / France
14. Marcus Ericsson - 1:19.312 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
15. Lando Norris - 1:19.646 / McLaren-Renault / Great Britain*
16. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:19.716 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
17. Kevin Magnussen - 1:19.853 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
18. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:19.899 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
19. Lance Stroll - 1:20.142 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
20. Pierre Gasly - NO TIME SET / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

* - Participating in FP1 only

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes

ASTON MARTIN RED BULL RACING

Daniel Ricciardo - “Ah Mejico, mucho bueno! The only negative with Mexico is the traffic, everything else about it is awesome. The area where we stay is great, the hotel is beautiful and the atmosphere in the paddock is full of life. There’s just a really good spirit, lots of face paint, lots of dia de los muertos stuff going on and I love that they have Mariachi bands everywhere.

    The circuit is okay and at least it provides overtaking opportunities which means the races are never boring. I love the stadium section, that’s unique and the crowd there is insane. The podium looks awesome, so hopefully I can taste a bit of that this year. If you like tequila and tacos – I mean, do you boys like Mexico? Wohoo!”

Max Verstappen - “I’m looking forward to getting back to Mexico as the circuit tends to suit our car better than others. Last year I came away with a win which felt amazing. I put in a good move at the start and therefore managed to keep out front for the remainder of the race. The atmosphere inside the stadium section is always good when you are out on track, but last year being on the podium it was next level.

    It turns into a party atmosphere pretty much as soon as the race is finished, I’m hoping to be back up there this year. As it is such a busy weekend on the calendar I haven’t had the chance to see much of Mexico city in the past, this year I can hopefully get out, see some sights and taste some local dishes.”

RACING POINT FORCE INDIA FORMULA ONE TEAM

Sergio Perez - “Racing in Mexico is the highlight of the season for me. The excitement each time we go back there is the same. When I see the busy grandstands, I feel very proud and the support from the people is fantastic. The energy of the crowd really motivates me and the drivers’ parade is always a very emotional moment.

    It’s an extremely busy weekend for everybody: me, my team, the sponsors, but it’s still the best week of the entire season. To have my family and friends around me helps make this race even more special. I really want to give everybody a strong result to celebrate on Sunday.

    The circuit is a big challenge. Because of the altitude, the track is slippery with low grip levels and it’s very easy to make a mistake or lose time. The long straight is usually your best chance for overtaking, but with these cars it’s never easy to pass.”

Esteban Ocon - “The Mexico weekend is good fun. It’s a busy race for the team, of course, and we have quite a few events with partners during the week, so we get to see a bit of the city as well. It’s Checo’s home race so the whole team is busy from the moment we land!

    The atmosphere when you get to the track is special. Mexicans love sport and the passion they show for Formula One is incredible. The best part is to drive in the stadium section when the grandstands are full. I think all the drivers enjoy the buzz and emotions you get from such a massive crowd.

    It’s a good track to drive, but it’s a tough one. You’re at very high altitude and this really affects the set-up – it’s difficult to find a good balance. The cars are set up with high-downforce, but it feels like low down force. You lack grip and the car feels very slippery, especially at the start of the weekend, but you soon get used to it.”

HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “There’s a great atmosphere in Mexico. It’s probably one of the best of the year. The driver parade, going through the stadium, is special. During the race you don’t see it, but after the chequered flag, it’s great to see it. The podium being there makes for a great image. It looks awesome from the outside. I like the first three corners. They’re pretty good.”

Kevin Magnussen - “Last year’s Mexican Grand Prix was great for us. We didn’t qualify very well, but we made our way back in the race to eighth. We were able to capitalize on other people’s mistakes. It got us into a great position, and then I fought that position hard until the end of the race to bring home some good points on a weekend that didn’t look like we were going to score points.

    The altitude affects mainly the aero. These engines are turbo engines, and we’re also very dependent on electric energy, so the percentage that we lose is less than it used to be. We lose down force from the thin air, we then lose drag as well, and we also lose cooling. We have to open the car more to get that cooling, both on the brakes and the engine and the oil, on everything. That then compromises the efficiency of the car. It’s the same for everyone. We’re all dealing with it."

ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “The race in Mexico is an exciting one. The fans are amazing and always add to the magical track. The circuit is interesting and the cars feel very low in grip due to the high altitude, which is a unique challenge. It has been a while since I last scored points, so that will be my target and I will work hard to have a strong performance there this weekend.”

Charles Leclerc - “The Mexican GP is a very interesting race, as it is different to what we are used to. We are located at quite a high altitude, so it is demanding to drive there – both for the cars as well as physically for us drivers. I look forward to it, and hopefully we can recover from the bad luck we have had in the last two races. We have a few more chances to score points this season and will push to bring home good results."

McLAREN F1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “I’m looking forward to being in Mexico in a few days. Fans always welcome us in such a warm and enthusiastic way, and once again we’ll be visiting around the ‘day of the dead’ time, when the whole city seems to be celebrating.

    The atmosphere at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is also unique, especially in the Stadium section, where the view is overwhelming and you get so close to the fans that you can even hear them roaring when you drive through.

    I want to put the disappointing race in Austin behind me as quickly as possible, so I can’t wait to be in the car again in three days.”

Stoffel Vandoorne - “The track in Mexico is very special because of the altitude. We all run maximum down force, but because of the altitude it actually makes it lower than Monza. That makes the cars very tricky to drive. We will also return to the Hypersoft tyre this year, so it’ll be interesting to see how that behaves.

    The Stadium section is amazing – I remember the fans last year were going crazy there. It was a packed race and they were cheering for everyone as they drove through, which made for a great atmosphere.

    Mexico City is a cool place. Everyone is really friendly and the food is great too. I’m looking forward to a fun weekend and hopefully some positive results on track.”

WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Lance Stroll - "The Mexican Grand Prix is probably one of my favourite tracks of the year. I love the city; the food is great, and the atmosphere is awesome. I had a great result in Mexico last year, finishing sixth which meant I was tenth in the drivers’ championship. It is a fun weekend, with a special vibe to the whole place, and last year I was fortunate enough to celebrate my 19th birthday on race day.

    In the stadium section you can’t hear the crowd, but you can feel the ground shake beneath you as the fans are so enthusiastic. Mexico is particularly challenging due to the high altitude and the car is very nervous, but these challenges are the same for everyone."

Sergey Sirotkin - "Mexico is a track which reminds me of Sochi. Due to the high location up in the mountains, the track produces a lot less drag and down force, which causes the cars to behave quite differently. There is a big effect on the tyres, due to the long straight with low drag and one of the highest stopping speeds of the season. It is a challenging track for both the drivers and for the teams."

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Mexican GP: Circuit Preview

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX 2018 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW

Name: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

Location: Mexico City, Mexico

Opened: 1962 (Original) / 2015 (Re-Opened)

Length: 2.674 Miles

Capacity: 110,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 17

Race Laps: 71

2017 STATS

Pole Position: Sebastian Vettel

1st Place: Max Verstappen

2nd Place: Valtteri Bottas

3rd Place: Kimi Raikkonen

Retirements: Daniel Ricciardo (Turbo), Nico Hulkenberg (Power Unit), Brendon Hartley (Engine), Marcus Ericsson (Engine) & Carlos Sainz (Steering)

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Mexican GP: Track Schedule

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX 2018 - TRACK SCHEDULE

October 25th / Thursday

11:00 - 11:30 - Press Conference

15:00 - 15:30 - Pit-Lane Walk (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

15:30 - 16:30 - Truck Tour (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

16:00 - 17:15 - Drivers Autograph Session (TBC)

18:00 - 19:00 - Run The Track

18:00 - 20:00 - Welcome BBQ

October 26th / Friday

09:00 - 09:30 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

10:00 - 11:30 - Free Practice #1

12:00 - 13:00 - Press Conference

12:30 - 13:20 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

13:00 - 13:30 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2

15:40 - 15:45 - F1 2-Seater (1 x 2 Laps)

17:40 - 17:45 - F1 2-Seater (1 x 2 Laps)

October 27th / Saturday

08:00 - 08:45 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

08:00 - 09:00 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

08:30 - 09:00 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

10:00 - 11:00 - Free Practice #3

12:00 - 12:30 - Paddock Club Truck Tour 

12:00 - 12:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

13:00 - 14:00 - Qualifying

14:00 - 15:00 - Press Conference

17:35 - 18:05 - Paddock Club Truck Tour 

18:15 - 18:45 - Go Karting (Activity)

October 28th / Sunday

11:20 - 12:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:25 - 11:55 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

11:30 - 12:00 - Drivers Track Parade

12:00 - 12:15 - Starting Grid Presentation 

12:54 - 12:56 - National Anthem

12:58 - 13:00 - Helicopter Fly Past (TBC)

13:10 - 15:10 - Race

15:10 - 16:10 - After-Podium Show

* - Subject to change

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Mexican GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

MEXICAN GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton secured his fourth Formula 1 world championship in Mexico, despite finishing the first lap at the back of the field after a collision with title rival Sebastian Vettel.

    Vettel started the Mexican GP on pole, alongside Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The pair made contact as Verstappen moved into the lead heading into the first corner, damaging the Ferrari’s front wing. Vettel moved over into Hamilton, who started third, colliding with the Mercedes right-rear tyre.  

    Both were forced into the pits at the end of the lap – Hamilton with a puncture and Vettel with a damaged front wing.

    The opening lap incident triggered a battle through the field for both championship contenders. Vettel, who was running 19th by the end of the first lap, pulled off a series of exciting moves to make it up to fourth by the chequered flag.

    It wasn’t enough to keep his championship hope alive, though, as Hamilton’s ninth place put him 56 points ahead of the Ferrari driver with only 50 points on offer from the final two races.

    With Hamilton and Vettel out of the fight, Verstappen was left unchallenged at the front of the field. He was nearly 20 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas in second when he crossed the line, taking his third F1 victory.

    Kimi Raikkonen finished third after starting fifth, taking his sixth podium finish of the season.

    Brendon Hartley triggered a virtual safety car just before the midpoint of the 71-lap race. In only his second race in F1, Harley’s Toro Rosso had stopped on track with an engine problem.

    Fellow Renault powered driver Nico Hulkenberg retired with an engine problem, while Daniel Ricciardo’s race was cut short after five laps due to a turbo issue.

    Esteban Ocon took fifth after falling behind Vettel late in the race. He finished ahead of Lance Stroll, team-mate Sergio Perez, and Kevin Magnussen.

    Fernando Alonso rounded out the top 10.

    After a strong qualifying, Carlos Sainz Jnr dropped to the back of the field on the second lap. He managed to continue until the final stages of the race, when he claimed his car was pulling on the straights.

    Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson looked set for his first points of the season, but was forced to retire late in the race with a brake-by-wire problem.

    Felipe Massa finished 11th, just ahead of Stoffel Vandoorne and Pierre Gasly, who battled their way up through the field after starting at the back of the grid.

    Pascal Wehrlein and Romain Grosjean in 14th and 15th were the final finishers.

RESULTS:

1. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 25 Points
2. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 18 Points
3. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 15 Points
4. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 12 Points
5. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France / + 10 Points
6. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada / + 8 Points
7. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 6 Points
8. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / + 4 Points
9. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 2 Points
10. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 1 Point
11. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
12. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Honda / Belgium
13. Pierre Gasly / Toro Rosso-Renault / France
14. Pascal Wehrlein / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany
15. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain / Steering
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Suspension
RETIRED - Brendon Hartley / Toro Rosso-Renault / New Zealand / Engine
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / Engine
RETIRED - Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia / Turbo

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Mexican GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

MEXICAN GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Sebastian Vettel will start the Mexican GP from pole position after it slipped out of Max Verstappen's hands. It had looked to be Red Bull on pole but Vettel proved too fast for the younger driver. Verstappen was also investigated after Qualifying for impeding Bottas but no further action was taken.

    Pierre Gasly missed Qualifying due to work being done on his Toro Rosso. The team had to replace his power unit after multiple issues throughout the weekend. Gasly, Vandoorne and Alonso all also have penalties for multiple engine component changes.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

4. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

5. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

6. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France

7. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia

8. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany

9. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain

10. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

11. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

12. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

13. Brendon Hartley / Toro Rosso-Renault / New Zealand

14. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

15. Pascal Wehrlein / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

16. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

17. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

18. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain*

19. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Honda / Belgium**

20. Pierre Gasly / Toro Rosso-Renault / France***

* - (Alonso) 20-Place-Grid-Penalty for multiple engine component changes

** - (Vandoorne) 35-Place-Grid-Penalty for multiple engine component changes

*** - (Gasly) 15-Place-Grid-Penalty for multiple engine component changes

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Mexican GP: Free Practice #3 - Re-Cap & Times

MEXICAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    
    It was Max Verstappen who once again topped the time-sheets during this GP weekend, this time with a 1:17.113. Ricciardo, who had topped FP2, was further down the line in 5th with a 1:17.361. Hamilton, Vettel and Bottas were also in the top 5.

        Lewis Hamilton, who is fighting to secure the Drivers Title this weekend, reported cuts in power during the session. Despite this, he still finished in 2nd, behind Verstappen, with a 1:17.188.

    Trouble for Pierre Gasly who never set a time after his Toro Rosso stopped on the track. He reported it was the engine, but then later said it felt like a gearbox problem. Team-mate, Hartley, competing in only his second ever F1 race weekend, finished the session in 11th with a 1:18.602.

    Another solid session for Force India, who have nearly completed what they can call their best season yet with both drivers sitting in the top 10 in the Drivers Championship standings and the team sitting firmly in 4th in the Constructors Championship standings. Home-town hero, Sergio Perez, finished the session in 7th with a 1:18.040. Ocon was right behind in 8th with a 1:18.165.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:17.113 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:17.188 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:17.230 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:17.283 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

5. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:17.361 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia

6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:17.517 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

7. Sergio Perez - 1:18.040 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

8. Esteban Ocon - 1:18.165 / Force India-Mercedes / France

9. Carlos Sainz - 1:18.208 / Renault-Renault / Spain

10. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:18.380 / Renault-Renault / Germany

11. Brendon Hartley - 1:18.602 / Toro Rosso-Renault / New Zealand

12. Felipe Massa - 1:18.690 / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

13. Lance Stroll - 1:19.066 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

14. Kevin Magnussen - 1:19.205 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

15. Marcus Ericsson - 1:19.331 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

16. Fernando Alonso - 1:19.565 / McLaren-Honda / Spain

17. Romain Grosjean - 1:19.586 / Haas-Ferrari / France

18. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:19.826 / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

19. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:20.826 / McLaren-Honda / Belgium

20. Pierre Gasly - NO TIME SET / Toro Rosso-Renault / France

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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