F1 Mexico GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Minute-by-minute updates from the 2024 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix
Carlos Sainz took his first pole position of the 2024 season on Saturday for the middle event of the F1 triple-header.
He will be followed off the grid by Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc. Home hero Sergio Perez and Norris' McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri will line up in 18th and 17th respectively.
The lights will go out to signal the race start at 8pm GMT.
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That all leaves Sainz 1.1s ahead of Leclerc, with Verstappen 1.9s further back.
Weirdly, Norris has two track-limit strikes against his name from those incidents - that doesn't feel entirely right.
Still struggling for pace on his medium tyres, Piastri is only 15th, having just passed Bottas in the Sauber.
So Verstappen is noted for both the T4 and T8 incidents. Huge drama!
Carrying his five-second penalty, Perez is past Stroll and into 11th.
"He overtook me off track and pushed me off," says Norris.
No sign of Verstappen letting his rival back through.
That all allowed Leclerc into second but there's a crash coming.
That skirmish has been noted by race control. Have to say, that's not racing, not at all. There'll be a penalty coming Verstappen's way for sure.
Norris attacks Verstappen into T4 on the next lap but the Red Bull again shoves him off the track.
They again get close to touching through the Esses - the Briton labeling his rival as "dangerous". "I'll end up in the wall."
"What can I do with an empty battery? What is this stupid f***ing mode?" Verstappen is not happy.
Sainz gets back into DRS range and attacks Verstappen with a lunge into T1. What a move!
The Spaniard has to defend even with DRS into T4 after a compromised exit, Sainz leads!
Teams were expecting to be right on the cross-over between one-stop and two-stop strategies but that safety car will have taken any complaints out of it.
The tow was strong for the Ferrari - Sainz was flying and that's without DRS. That will worry Red Bull.
Verstappen has broken the one-second margin through the middle sector though.
On the restart, Piastri remains 17th. Having started there, the McLaren driver was unable to capitalise on the earlier contact to progress.
Verstappen starts backing the field up in the middle-sector to let the safety car head to the pits.
He then pins it into the hairpin in the stadium and does an excellent job to sprint clear of Sainz and Norris.
Told that he was out of position in his grid slot, Perez responds: "Have a look because I don't think we were."
The safety car is coming in at the end of lap six!
There's the confirmation. A five-second penalty for Perez for a "false start". Starting out of position, would be a more apt description.
First world problems for Leclerc, who could be in the wall and out of the race, or have a five-second penalty...
Leclerc: "The drink is spilling when I'm doing zig-zag. I need to drink even if I don't need to."
Those fans will be very unhappy soon...
F1 itself claims “Attendance for the weekend 404,958, a new record for the Mexico City Grand Prix. Figure includes 154,142 today for the Grand Prix.”
"Why?" asked Perez when told his start is under investigation.
"It was a great start," he adds.
It will always feel better when you start a foot or so ahead of your grid slot though!
The safety car is still out with Verstappen ready to take over the pace.
But at least another lap of neutralisation as the cleanup continues on lap five.
This looks to be a slam dunk penalty for Perez, who had pulled significantly clear of his grid box when returning from the formation lap.
Russell had a much better start than Leclerc in the battle for fourth and fifth but the Ferrari picked up the tow from Norris, leaving the Mercedes a sitting duck.
Hamilton made his way past his team-mate.
Replays show several instances of contact between Tsunoda and Albon - the former running past on the outside. But as the RB driver came past, Albon was squeezed by Gasly's Alpine. The definition of a racing incident.
The cleanup operation is going well with the RB, but a crane has only just reached Albon's Williams. That was the second weekend in succession that Albon has been part of a lap one incident.
Verstappen's move at T1 again saw him lean on his rival until there was nowhere for the other car to go. This time, though, the Red Bull stayed on the track with all four wheels and Sainz was left to yield.
Albon has now stopped on the run to Turn 4 to retire on lap one. Two down after less than a lap.
Perez gained five places at the start - two from Tsunoda and Albon of course.
Tsunoda reports "I'm ok" before climbing out of his RB and into the medical car.
That was a frantic start but there's a chance to catch a breath straight away.
Tsunoda is tagged into the chicane by what looks to be one of the Williams drivers. He's out already after spinning with damage. The Williams looks to have belonged to Albon.
A stunning start from Verstappen who gets up the inside of Sainz at T1 with Norris tucking in behind but there's carnage behind with a wheel sent flying from Tsunoda's car.
Yellow flags are out and now the safety car.
Sainz is in the final sector, Zhou is in the first sector. This will be another long, long hold on the grid before lights out.
The formation lap is under way!
Sainz leads the field around.
All are on mediums other than Lawson, Bottas, Colapinto, Perez, Zhou and Ocon on hards.
The grid has been cleared and the tyre blankets are removed...
A reminder that there are three DRS zones at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for drivers to exploit from lap two onwards.
Right then, last chance to get your predictions in the comments and on socials. Let us know who you think will get into the top three!
By: Autosport Staff
