Verstappen, the ghost that haunts the championship again
It seems that the script for the Formula 1 season is being written by a film director with a serious addiction problem to unexpected twists. It turns out that, against all odds and when we had all considered the championship amortized, Max Verstappen has decided that no, his reign does not end without a fight. To keep his shot at a fifth consecutive world title alive, the Red Bull driver needs to continue eating the toast of McLaren‘s golden boys, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. And guess what: running in Mexico City, your personal backyard, could be the ultimate boost.
Max started off on the right foot (as he usually does) at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, setting the best time in the second free practice session. His time of 1:17.392 seconds left Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) behind. Meanwhile, on the Woking team, Norris finished fourth and Piastri, on a day to forget, sank to twelfth position. A perfect metaphor for how things are going lately for the Australian.
The statistic is simply obscene: Verstappen has won five times in Mexico, including three of the last four editions. He comes from sweeping the United States GP and, in just four races, he has cut a deficit of 104 points with Piastri to just 40. With Norris the distance is 26. A few races ago, his chances of defending the title seemed a fantasy. Now, another victory could put him squarely in the fight. It is the return of the king that no one expected, but that everyone feared.
Positive pressure and tracks that are like ice skating
“To be honest with you, continuing in this fight is very surprising,” Verstappen admitted with the sincerity of someone who does not believe his own biography. “Like I said before, we need to be perfect. But for me, it’s just positive pressure.” Sure, Max, you call it “positive pressure”, the rest of the paddock calls it a “recurring nightmare”.
The Dutchman didn’t even appear in the first free practice session on Friday – his seat was occupied by teenager Arvid Lindblad – but that doesn’t matter to him. He knows this circuit better than the back of his hand: it is, along with the Red Bull Ring, the only track where he has scored five victories. The Mexican GP, with its 71 laps and crazy altitude of 2,240 meters, is a unique monster. The air is so thin that it generates less downforce, testing the configuration of the cars and the patience of the engineers.
“The circuit tends to adapt to our car, high altitude always brings unique challenges,” commented Verstappen. Although then, in a moment of pure radio poetry, he complained about the driving conditions with: “Yes, it’s terrible. I have no grip. It’s like driving on ice.” That’s Max: complaining even when he’s first. An icon.
Meanwhile, in the rival field, things look more complicated. Piastri, who crashed in the sprint race in Austin and has not won for four Grand Prix, is trying to stay calm. “I think (Verstappen) has been very consistent in recent weekends,” he acknowledged. “But there is no benefit in worrying about that, what is going to help me win this championship is trying to get the best out of myself.” Nice words, but Verstappen doesn’t give a damn about motivational mantras.
Safe bet? Everyone looks at McLaren… with suspicion
Although McLaren has already secured the constructors’ championship, the fight for the drivers’ title is heating up. And, although some still see Piastri and Norris as the big favorites, Verstappen’s shadow is long. Charles Leclerc, always ready to drop the pearl, summed it up perfectly: “Max is always on top of things and always performs extremely well, but he’s still 40 points behind and 40 points is significant. So, if I had to bet a dollar, I’d probably bet on the McLaren drivers. But yeah, you can never count Max out.” Translation: everyone is scared to death.
This weekend also marks a bittersweet son: it is the first time in a decade that the Mexican Grand Prix is run without the local idol, Sergio “Checo” Pérez. Red Bull gave it the boot last December and many wondered if the Mexican public would stay home. The answer has been a resounding no. “We have a full house,” declared the race director, Federico González Compeán. “Mexican fans love ‘Checo’, no one would argue with that, but they also love racing.” And, to the consolation of the fans, Checo will have the opportunity to race in his homeland again next year, after signing with Cadillac. The drama, as you see, never stops in this high-speed circus.
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