The 2026 Mexican Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was the star and Kimi Antonelli impressed with another milestone that was matched with a spectacular set of celebrations, costly errors and some unforgettable moments. The nodding point was actually Ferrari’s misfortune, though. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had early signs of looking up for the team but on track, the duo ended in a bigger falling out in pubic area for Charles Leclerc, who then found it easier to accept the-control guy, Verstappen.
But there were a couple of surprises on the weekend after penalties altered the way things ended up. Ryo Hirakawa was making his Formula 1 debut and three other drivers who were in the top 10 but stripped of their ranks were made to walk away at the start of the race to allow others to make the second lap. The race provided a host of contrasts, as Ferrari was disappointed, whilst Aston Martin were sent home twice.
Ferrari had one of its best chances of the season but it didn’t capitalize on it to grab the win. The team looked like it had got just right going to pole, but they didn’t so much as make one move for a memorable afternoon. Early in the race, Hamilton and Leclerc led first and second place as overtaking was a real challenge around the course and Ferrari looked to be in complete possession.
But things were different when Leclerc went into a fight which allowed Verstappen to clear Hamilto. Leclerc then was issued a 5 second penalty for cutting across a track during the incident. Red Bull’s holding of the lead at pit and that choice meant the Belgian was able to seize the lead.
It’s a pity that Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had to concede the race, having ceded the top two places at Turn 4. A disappointing result for a side which had been displaying a good pace all weekend. By finishing second and fourth, Hamilton and Leclerc secured their place while Ferrari had to get ready for a race in which it had to admit that its own errors and clash with the opposition has denied them a possible victory.
The Belgian, on the other hand, capitalized on the chance. Red Bull had another problem to deal with at the start as George Russell was pushed to the back of the pack, giving the Brit chance to get up a gear. After the Ferrari battle he then seized chances to push away from Hamilton which would’ve ensured they had the space to do an effective pitstops.
A red flag also aided Verstappen, as it shortened the soft tyre stint that he would’ve had. The restart was an issue, though, as Hamilton tested him as the starter did. Verstappen played it straight and solid to win yet again.
Kimi Antonelli was having yet another party. The Mercedes driver, who was already the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, finished third as he delivered another level-headed performance. His late move onto Leclerc came across as a swish in particular. Antonelli didn’t want to take second place and raced hard to overtake the Ferrari driver and earn a berth in the top three.
It showed he’s at a point where he can afford to be a bit more confident, which has been a hallmark of the season that’s defined his championship campaign. His title was under control by now, but Antonelli still had the desire to put on a show, and he continued to race hard. His attempt not just to defend his seat, but his fight for it was one of the highlights of a already historic campaign.
But it was a challenging afternoon for George Russell. The deployment was problematic at the beginning and that left him without the chance to fight for the lead. Then in the opening lap of the race, he got himself into trouble with Isack Hadjar and it added to his lost cause. Eventual sixth finisher and also fined for missing out on his post-race press duties, Russell was the subject of so much more than a single fine.But there was far more than one fine to be made after sixth finisher Russell The end was soured by his team-mate’s midweek celebration of world championship victory, but the finish of the weekend was disappointing.
Oscar Piastri was also ripe for an end of the season flameout. The McLaren driver was left in a difficult qualifying position but after doing his best to nurse back into the fray, his recovery was almost spoiled when he crashed with Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad. According to Piastri he was trying to avoid a collision and get away from Turn 2, despite which both cars suffered damage, with Lindblad throwing into the wall. The stewards blamed Piastri, gave him a 10 second moulder and demoted him to 13th.
Lindblad’s car came into contact with another one, and he retired from the race. The stewards believed him to be in no way to be held responsible but the histrionics of the incident spoiled what was a promising afternoon. He was scrapping for seventh and had the potential to put together one of his best games of the season.
Although it seemed Alpine would be one of the winners of the late race incidents, it did not appear to be so. After the Piastri’s penalty, Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly jumped into the next two positions (seventh and ninth respectively). Both drivers however, received a penalty for breaking the yellow-flag rule later. Their marks were deducted and Alpine suffered a huge set-back in the constructors’ championships fight as a result. The team had a deficit of 35 points to Racing Bulls.
Liam Lawson was one of the outcomes who was really gaining from the shift in fortunes. His weekend had begun poorly after he was caught by Verstappen in a crash during the practice, and crashed into the R16 barrier again in qualifying as he started from the pitlane. Those obstacles were overcome though and Lawson hung in there and eventually the seven rider was hung on the scoreboard after penalties were applied in the post-race.
The Aston Martin team experienced one of the worst seasons performances. Bought in Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both retired in the first seven laps, squandering a chance to earn race points for the team. Alonso acknowledged that Honda underestimated the race’s high altitudes in Mexico City and Honda noted cooling issues. This double retirement came at a bitter-sweet time for the team after some promising speed on show ahead of the weekend.
Cadillac was not without its hassles either. Sergio Perez was having a good start in his own arena and the 13th aimed for bleach in front of his supporters before a wheelgun issue and a relationship with the reges’ pit line ensued made for a poor finish. Eventually, he came out of the hole positioned 16th, which he missed out on scoring points on. Valtteri Bottas, who suffered from the incident, was relieved to call it a day.
A relatively less spectacular success on the weekend went to Ryo Hirakawa. The endurance racing star was suddenly called up to his Formula 1 debut and was able to perform a fairly decent job until penalties reworked the classification.
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