Red Bull's pit-stop call put Verstappen ahead of Leclerc in Mexico

Red Bull's call to pit Max Verstappen as Charles Leclerc stopped cut short the longer medium-tyre run the Dutchman was expected to make, but sent him back out ahead of the Ferrari. RacingNews365 journalist Pepijn van der Hulst credits that track-position gain with helping Verstappen win the Mexico Grand Prix, while noting the team may not have had the fastest car.

At the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, more than 2,000 metres above sea level, track position carried unusual value. The altitude complicated cooling: temperatures rose quickly in dirty air, and overtaking was nearly impossible. Hamilton was told as early as lap three to lift to cool his brakes.

Verstappen started fifth on medium tyres while his rivals chose softs. He moved up to third in the first-corner chaos and then second after Turn 4, as Leclerc took the lead across the grass and Verstappen got to the inside of Lewis Hamilton.

Leclerc was given a five-second penalty for passing Hamilton off track. He said after the race he would have wanted to give the position back, but could not because Verstappen was between them.

Leclerc built a lead of around five seconds, matching the extra time he had to spend in the pits. Verstappen's mediums were expected to last longer, so Leclerc was expected to stop first; Red Bull instead covered his stop immediately, bringing Verstappen in at the same time. Verstappen rejoined ahead of Leclerc.

The 43-lap stint on softs that followed looked demanding, but tyre wear was lower than expected and Verstappen kept the Ferraris behind.

After a red flag, Verstappen and Hamilton both changed tyres and restarted on softs of roughly the same age. Verstappen got away well and countered Hamilton on the outside at Turn 1; Hamilton did not attack again.