F1 | Mexico City Grand Prix Race Report

Verstappen drives away from Hamilton for record 14th win of 2022 season.

Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen claimed a record 14th victory to continue his extraordinary 2022 season after comfortably fending off the challenge of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

After qualifying, this race was seen as Mercedes’ biggest chance of the season to break their season long winless streak but was instead dominated by the double world champion, who held off the Silver Arrows at the start and then, characteristically, stormed away with ease.

Hamilton got ahead of team-mate George Russell on the opening lap but that was as good as it got for him, who now looks unlikely to extend his record of winning a race in every one of his Formula 1 seasons with Mercedes. Most of the hope for a win quickly faded away as Mercedes opted for the hard tire after the first pit stop in the race while Red Bull went with the faster medium tire. Mercedes felt that the medium tire would wear out towards the end of the race giving the durable hard tire the advantage they needed but that strategy was a failed one as Hamilton and Russell could not make up any time on both Red Bull drivers they were chasing and ultimately lost time each lap to them.

“I’m not sure we had the right tire in the end," said Hamilton.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 30: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB18 leads George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W13, Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W13 and the rest of the field at the start during the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 30, 2022 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202210310099 // Usage for editorial use only //

"The first stint of the race was critical today and we managed to stay in the lead after turn one," said Verstappen post race. “We were obviously on a different strategy to the cars around us and we had to look after our tires a lot. We had quite good pace on the soft tyre even though it wears a bit more, we then drove the medium to the end. Winning 14 races in a season is incredible, we’re having an amazing year as a Team and that’s the most important thing. We keep on pushing and we want to win as many races as possible, it’s really special what we are all achieving together this year."

Verstappen is the first driver to ever win 14 races in a season, breaking a tie with Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. There are still two races remaining in 2022, in Brazil and Abu Dhabi so conceivably this final number could be 16 total wins in a season. Even most astounding is the fact that there are only 22 races a season.

Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez, who was the first of the leading drivers to pit, managed to extend his stint and claim his second podium in front of a passionate home Mexican crowd, ahead of Russell."It feels good to be on the podium but I wanted more today, I am a little bit disappointed," said Perez post race. “We could have finished second definitely but we had a poor pitstop, which really prevented us doing the undercut and being closer to Lewis. The hard tire didn’t work for him initially but once he got them going it just didn’t work for me, then I was looking after my tires and there was no more in them. We were planning to do a two-stop race but degradation was better than expected. This place in unbelievable, it is an amazing crowd here and I will never forget these moments because of the people. It is certainly, if not the best, one of the best crowds in Formula One – I am very privileged to have this support. I just want to go and win the next two races now, we have had the pace in the last few races, so now I just want to put it all together, cut out the small problems and then I believe we can do that."

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 30: Third placed Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing and the Red Bull Racing team celebrate after the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 30, 2022 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202210310110 // Usage for editorial use only //

Russell, like Hamilton, floundered on the hard tire but did manage to claim a fastest lap bonus point after stopping at the end for a final lap drive for fastest lap, the same strategy employed at the United States Grand Prix last week in Austin, Texas.

The fact Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc weren’t in touching distance of Russell despite his second stop says a lot about Ferrari’s pace, with the Scuderia someway off their rivals in fifth and sixth.

Mexico City Grand Prix: Race Result

1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3. Sergio Perez, Red Bull
4. George Russell, Mercedes
5. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
6. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
7. Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren
8. Esteban Ocon, Alpine
9. Lando Norris, McLaren
10. Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo