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🏎️ Sainz Victorious, Controversies Unfold

Author

Jordan Williams
October 29, 2024

In this week’s email:

  • Sainz Victorious, Controversies Unfold 👀

  • Perez Slams Liam Lawson's Attitude 😤

  • McLaren's Bid Denied 🚫

  • Talks for IndyCar Race in Mexico 🇲🇽 

  • Bottas: A Possible Return to Mercedes 😯

Sainz Victorious, Controversies Unfold 👀

Winner: Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) secured victory with a 4.7-second lead over Lando Norris (McLaren). While Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) completed the podium. This win boosted Ferrari to second in the constructors’ standings.

Race Highlights:

  • Max Verstappen's Challenges: Verstappen received two 10-second penalties early on due to incidents with Norris, forcing him to serve the penalties during his first pit stop. He finished 6th.

  • Chaotic Start: The race commenced under a safety car due to an incident involving Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda. Which delayed the first laps.

Mid-Race Action:

  • After the restart, Sainz overtook Verstappen to take the lead. Verstappen's penalties allowed Leclerc to move ahead as well.

  • Despite Verstappen's efforts to recover, he found himself in 15th after serving penalties.

Final Laps:

  • Norris closed in on Leclerc, but a mistake from Leclerc allowed Norris to secure second place.

  • Leclerc set the fastest lap after a late pit stop.

Top 10 Finishers:

  1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

  2. Lando Norris (McLaren)

  3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

  4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

  5. George Russell (Mercedes)

  6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

  7. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

  8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

  9. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas)

  10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

Other things to note

  1. Norris Critiques Verstappen's Tactics: Lando Norris accused Max Verstappen of dangerous racing maneuvers during the Mexico City Grand Prix. Resulting in two 10-second penalties for Verstappen after pushing Norris off track.

  2. Desire for Fair Racing: Norris expressed his frustration. Stating he wants tough but fair battles with Verstappen. Contrasting their recent incidents with previous ones and urging Verstappen to acknowledge when he crosses the line.

  3. Verstappen's Reaction and Support for Stewards: Verstappen dismissed the penalties. Stating he wouldn’t dwell on them. While McLaren CEO Zak Brown praised the stewards for their decisions, calling for cleaner racing moving forward.

Perez Slams Liam Lawson's Attitude 😤

In a heated moment during the Mexican Grand Prix, Sergio Perez of Red Bull voiced strong criticism of teammate Liam Lawson after a collision on track. The clash occurred on lap 19 at Turn 4 when Perez attempted to overtake Lawson. Despite Perez's lead, Lawson retaliated. Leading to damage for both drivers.

On-Track Incident: Perez claimed the corner but Lawson pushed back. Resulting in significant floor damage for Perez. This incident marred Perez's home race. Where he started from the back due to a poor qualifying session and incurred a five-second penalty.

Post-Collision Frustration: After the incident, Lawson overtook Perez while gesturing, which further upset Perez. He remarked, "He needs to be a bit more humble," emphasizing the need for respect in F 1.

Warning for Lawson: Perez cautioned that Lawson’s aggressive style could threaten his future in the sport, stating, "If you don't learn from your mistakes, F1 is a brutal world."

Context of Aggression: When asked about Lawson's intensity, Perez noted recent incidents involving Lawson and other drivers. Suggesting he is racing "out of control."

McLaren's Bid to Overturn Norris' Penalty Denied 🚫

In a significant development during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend. McLaren's attempt to challenge Lando Norris' five-second penalty from the United States Grand Prix has been denied by the race stewards.

Video Conference Appeal: McLaren's appeal was discussed in a video conference with stewards, Red Bull, and the FIA. The team argued that the stewards had incorrectly identified Norris as the overtaking car instead of Max Verstappen.

Evidence Requirement: To reopen the case, McLaren needed to present a "significant and relevant new element" of evidence, which the stewards ultimately deemed not sustainable.

Final Ruling: The stewards ruled against McLaren five hours after the hearing concluded. Meaning the results of the US GP will stand. Verstappen maintains a 57-point lead over Norris in the championship standings.

McLaren's Response: While McLaren acknowledged the stewards' decision, they expressed disagreement with the reasoning and interpretation of relevant FIA documentation.

Talks for IndyCar Race in Mexico Set for January 🇲🇽 

Growing Interest in IndyCar: Promoters in Mexico will discuss bringing an IndyCar race to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in January, driven by the rising popularity of Mexican driver Pato O’Ward, who had a successful season with three wins and received enthusiastic support during his recent F1 practice session in Mexico City.

Previous Absence and Future Potential: IndyCar has not raced at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez since 2007. O’Ward has expressed optimism about the possibility of an IndyCar event in 2026, noting that interest in motorsports has grown significantly in Mexico.

Upcoming Events and Strategic Discussions: The president of the Mexico City GP promoter, Alejandro Soberón, acknowledged O’Ward's impact on local interest and confirmed plans for future talks with IndyCar, emphasizing that while F1 remains the premier event, there is excitement for diverse racing formats, especially with NASCAR also set to race in Mexico next year.

Bottas: A Possible Return to Mercedes 😯

Valtteri Bottas has raised the possibility of returning to Mercedes as a reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season if he is dropped by the Audi team, which will take over Sauber in 2026.

Current Situation: Bottas, who won 10 races with Mercedes from 2017 to 2021, is awaiting final decisions from Audi regarding their driver lineup.

Discussions with Audi: He has agreed to terms with Audi but is in ongoing talks with team principal Mattia Binotto.

Open to Options: While Bottas’s priority is to remain a race driver, he acknowledges the need to consider all alternatives, including a potential return to the Mercedes family.

Impact of Driver Changes: With Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari, Bottas's experience could be invaluable for Mercedes in the upcoming seasons.