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Mexico City Grand Prix: Sainz’s Triumph

MEXICO CITY — Carlos Sainz celebrated a remarkable victory by climbing atop his striking red Ferrari and spreading his arms wide, raising his fists in triumph. The emotions of the moment were palpable. Starting from pole position in the Mexico City Grand Prix, Sainz initially lost the lead to Max Verstappen but fought back fiercely, reclaiming first place and delivering one of the finest performances of his Formula One career. His race engineer, Ricciardo Adami, praised Sunday’s display as “a master class” over the radio at the race’s conclusion.

Sainz made history as the first driver to win the Mexico City GP from pole in eight years, and he is the first Ferrari driver to secure victory at this race since Alain Prost achieved it in 1990. This season marks a significant milestone for Sainz, as it is the first time he has won multiple Grands Prix—his first triumph coming in Australia just 16 days after undergoing surgery, followed by this latest success in Mexico.

While Ferrari struggled to compete for the constructors’ title before the summer break, recent upgrades have propelled the iconic Maranello-based team to second place in the standings with four races remaining. If the momentum continues, it is certainly plausible that Ferrari could be back in contention for the title in 2025.

However, that journey will be without Sainz, who is set to depart. “Honestly, I really wanted this one — I needed it for myself, I wanted to get it done,” Sainz reflected. “I’ve been saying for a while that I wanted one more win before leaving Ferrari, and to do it here in front of this incredible crowd is just amazing. Now, with four races left, I want to savor every moment, and if another victory comes, I will certainly pursue it.”

How the Victory Unfolded

Sainz had to earn his second victory of the season through skill and determination. Verstappen seized the lead early on as the grid surged toward Turn 1—a predictable outcome given the low-grip conditions of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where Red Bull typically excels. Sainz later noted that he braked as late as possible but found himself with “no space to go into Turn 2” as Verstappen claimed the early race advantage.

Following an early collision involving Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda, the field settled behind the safety car for several laps. Verstappen executed a flawless restart, but Sainz remained close, refusing to let the Red Bull escape from his view. The decisive moment came on Lap 9 when Sainz made his move. “With Max, you need to be determined and decisive,” Sainz explained. “If you’re not, you’re never going to pass him. I think I caught him a bit by surprise, and I managed to make it stick.”

Utilizing DRS and a strategic tow, Sainz lunged ahead of the Dutchman, re-establishing a lead that he would not relinquish. Although it appeared he was too far back to attempt the pass, Sainz noted, “I felt like I had good momentum, and I’ve been feeling very confident braking into Turn 1 this weekend. The car has given me the confidence to brake late there, and I just went for it, and it worked out.”

He described the moment as “high tension,” especially as a chaotic battle unfolded behind him between Verstappen and Lando Norris, resulting in Verstappen receiving two 10-second time penalties, which he served during his first pit stop.

Once Sainz retook the lead, approximately 60 laps remained in the race, during which numerous battles ensued, including Liam Lawson’s tussle with Sergio Pérez and Norris’s pursuit of Charles Leclerc in the closing stages. For Sainz, the race unfolded relatively smoothly, aside from a brief report of a misfire, which he characterized as an “isolated incident.”

“The only misfire I had all race was at the exit of Turn 3. Landing after the curb, I did a little short shift, and it caused a misfire, which was a bit nerve-wracking. We’ve experienced similar issues during the weekend, and we know it’s due to the altitude and mapping,” Sainz explained. “But once I was in the lead, I trusted my pace and management. I knew I was quick this weekend, and I just had to stick to my plan to secure the win.”

As the race progressed, Sainz voiced concerns over the radio that Ferrari was pushing too aggressively. At that point, it was a Prancing Horse 1-2, but Leclerc soon lost second place in a fierce battle with Norris, nearly colliding with the barriers in the process. Ultimately, while the race did not conclude with a Ferrari 1-2, the first and third-place finishes, along with Leclerc’s fastest lap, were enough to elevate the team ahead of Red Bull in the standings, boasting a 25-point lead.

The Perfect Goodbye

As the Spanish national anthem played in celebration at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Sainz admitted to shedding a tear. Just below the podium stood his parents, Carlos Sainz Sr. and Reyes Vázquez de Castro, along with his partner, Rebecca Donaldson, and several close friends who made the weekend even more special.

“This is one of the best moments of my career. My mom had never been present for a race win with me, and the fact that she was here this weekend made me want to win even more,” Sainz shared. “The way the whole weekend unfolded was just perfect. Losing the lead at the start and then fighting back against Max made everything a bit more challenging, but that struggle makes the victory taste even sweeter.”

It has been a challenging year, both for Ferrari and Sainz. Earlier in the year, it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would join Ferrari in 2025, leaving Sainz without a seat despite his competitive performance. The confirmation that he would be moving to Williams Racing next season came in late July, as the team seeks to rebuild.

Ferrari began the season competitively but faced a difficult development phase that saw them fall behind rivals McLaren and Mercedes by the summer break. After introducing upgrades in Monza, Leclerc secured a victory, leading to questions about whether Ferrari had turned a corner. This was confirmed in Austin when Ferrari achieved a 1-2 finish, with Leclerc claiming his third win of the season.

Leclerc has expressed optimism that winning the constructors’ championship is “realistically possible,” as Ferrari trails McLaren by just 29 points, with a total of 566 points. However, as Sainz emphasized, consistency will be key. Winning the constructors’ championship for the first time since 2008 would serve as the perfect farewell for Sainz.

“It would have been easy for me to lose motivation and drive, but those three weeks off after Singapore helped me regain my determination,” Sainz reflected. “I worked hard to improve my driving and confidence with the car, positioning myself to capitalize on every opportunity. Winning in Austin was within reach, and now winning here was something I was determined to achieve. It’s been a challenging year, but I’m proud of how I’ve maintained my focus and contributed to the team’s success. Securing the constructors’ championship would be a perfect farewell for me.”

(Top photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)