Another Verstappen-Norris clash overshadows Sainz masterclass

Carlos Sainz and Ferrari's dominant Mexican Grand Prix victory was overshadowed by the second clash between Formula 1 title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris within a week.

This time Norris came out best, charging to second and denying Ferrari a 1-2, while Verstappen received not just one but two 10-second penalties and could only recover to sixth.

Verstappen had actually led at first, jumping polesitter Sainz and then ensuring there was no space for the Ferrari as it tried to attack around the outside at the first corner.

Sainz shot over the grass and rejoined far ahead but wisely handed first place back to Verstappen just before the race was neutralised by a safety car caused by a startline clash that sent Yuki Tsunoda's RB into the wall and damaged Alex Albon's Williams.

It didn't take long at all after the restart for Sainz to line up Verstappen's Red Bull in the DRS run to the first corner and dive back ahead.

The drama started when Norris did likewise on the next lap, with Verstappen making sure there was no space for Norris in the second part of the opening complex in an incident similar to their Austin controversy.

Why Verstappen had to be punished (twice)

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Norris came back on ahead, then Verstappen lunged at him into the next sequence of corners, with both going off and the Red Bull rejoining in front of the McLaren but now behind a Ferrari 1-2 as Charles Leclerc swept past both.

The stewards investigated Verstappen for both incidents and gave him a 10-second penalty for each one - the offences being forcing Norris off the track in the first instance and gaining an advantage by cutting a corner in the second.

While the enforced 20-second delay at his pitstop dropped Verstappen right out of contention for the podium, Norris steadily gained on the leading Ferraris once the sole pitstops were done.

He caught Leclerc in traffic in the closing stages and picked up second when the Ferrari slewed wildly wide at the final corner.

But despite Norris's best efforts, Sainz remained out of reach and sealed a dominant victory.

Leclerc pitted for fresh tyres to successfully grab fastest lap to go with his third place.

Verstappen could only recover to sixth behind a feisty race-long battle between the Mercedes over fourth. Lewis Hamilton eventually prevailed over George Russell, who was carrying front wing damage.

After his Q1 exit, Norris's McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri tried to make up ground with a very long first stint that set up a charge on fresh tyres at the end.

McLaren hoped he might even catch Verstappen for sixth, but he could only reach eighth between Haas duo Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

Pierre Gasly completed the scorers for Alpine.

Sergio Perez had a miserable home race.

He instantly incurred a five-second penalty for not lining up in his grid slot properly, then clashed with his potential 2025 replacement Liam Lawson and sustained damage that left him limping around to 17th and last.

Lawson ultimately didn't fare much better - running the same strategy as Piastri meant he briefly appeared in the top five but didn't have the pace to achieve much later on and then had to pit for a new front wing after a tangle with Franco Colapinto's Williams.

A very underwhelming 400th grand prix for Fernando Alonso came to an early end with brake problems on his Aston Martin.