Max Verstappen: “I knew the start was very important today”

Max Verstappen stormed to victory in Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix, with the decisive move on title rival Lewis Hamilton coming at turn one on lap one.

The Red Bull Racing driver was in sublime form throughout the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with his advantage over the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team driver more than sixteen and a half seconds at the chequered flag. He started third on the grid but was in the lead by turn one as he passed both Hamilton and polesitter Valtteri Bottas after grabbing a tow from them down the straight.

Verstappen now has a nineteen-point lead over Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship heading into the final four races of the season, while he was pleased to see Red Bull team-mate Sergio Pérez join him on the podium for a third consecutive race.

“It was an incredible day for the Team and also for the fans, to have Checo on the podium here in Mexico at his home Grand Prix was great, so it couldn’t have been better,” said Verstappen.  

“I knew the start was very important today, we were three wide at one point and I was on the more ideal race line so I could brake later and get into the lead.

“After that I could do my own thing, the pace was very good today so I could just keep building and creating a gap, the pit stops were seamless and the car was good throughout the race which was crucial today.

“Checo, for the last few races has really picked it up, he’s been up there and he was really pressuring Lewis today towards the end.”

Verstappen says he will continue to take each race as it comes rather than focusing on the bigger picture of the Drivers’ Championship, with his focus already on the São Paulo Grand Prix this coming weekend.

“I’m still not thinking about that trophy, we’ll try again in Brazil and just keep pushing,” said the Dutchman.

“I didn’t get an opportunity to go for it but I gave my best” – Sergio Pérez

Team-mate Pérez completed the podium in third, although he was hoping to make it a Red Bull one-two and deny Hamilton second place.  However, his third place was the first time a Mexican driver had finished on the podium in a Formula 1 race in Mexico.

Pérez believes he had the better car on the day, but overtaking was extremely difficult on race day, particularly when the Mercedes of Hamilton was so quick in a straight-line, which made a pass into turn one all but impossible.

“This is a great result for my country, I really wanted more but unfortunately we didn’t get that,” said Pérez.  “It was so messy in turn one so to avoid incident there was critical and then I wanted second place, but we didn’t get the chance because it is just so difficult to overtake around here.

“I was really close to getting Lewis but the Mercedes are so quick on the straight lines so I didn’t get an opportunity to go for it but I gave my best.”

Pérez says he could feel the energy from the home fans at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, particularly in the stadium section, and it was pleasing for him to give them a podium finish to celebrate at the end of the day.

“I could feel the fans energy when I was going through the stadium sector and I was thinking about how many people were here for me, I could actually hear the crowd when I was driving through Foro Sol,” he said.

“I wanted more but I am just very happy to be on the podium of my home country, the Mexicans were so happy today. We are so competitive as drivers that when we finish third we aren’t happy but today I had to enjoy it, everyone who has been there since the start with me was there at the end of the race and that was an amazing moment for me.

“I think today we were the fastest Team but that is going to swing around for the remainder of the season, so we just have to keep our focus and keep pushing.”

Sergio Pérez finished his home race in third place – Credit: Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images for Heineken