P1racenews AI automatic summary:
What if Sergio Perez had completed his fifth-to-first move at the start? What if the red flag hadn’t reset the Ferrari/Red Bull strategy battle? What if Lando Norris hadn’t started at the back?
Kevin Magnussen’s crash during the Mexican Grand Prix led to a red flag and disappointed a significant portion of the crowd, as their favorite driver Sergio Perez was eliminated right after the start. Perez had a great start and was poised to pass Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, with thousands of fans cheering for him. However, Leclerc held his ground and there was contact between Perez’s Red Bull and Leclerc’s Ferrari.
Despite the disappointment, those who stayed got to witness an exciting race, especially behind the dominant Verstappen. If not for the red flag, Leclerc’s one-stop strategy and Red Bull’s commitment to a two-stop could have put Verstappen behind the Ferrari after his final stop. However, the red flag neutralized strategy battles.
After the restart, Verstappen had a clear advantage and easily took the lead. The race for the distant second place was between Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes. Hamilton had another chance to challenge Leclerc after Magnussen’s accident, and with a switch to medium tires, he had a tire advantage over the Ferrari.
Hamilton’s Mercedes, despite being slower in a straight line, was able to challenge Leclerc with the help of the medium tires. Overall, the race became a match race between the different tire strategies of Hamilton and Leclerc, with Hamilton eventually securing second place.
Source: The Race
