Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on his way to victory in the 2022 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix at the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit on Oct. 30, 2022. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was never truly threatened on his way to claim the record 14th win in a single Formula 1 season by winning Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix.
By F1 correspondent Michael Butterworth
BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Red Bull's Max Verstappen took a record 14th win in a single Formula 1 season with victory in Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix.
Starting from pole position, Verstappen fended off the challenge of Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on Lap 1 and was never truly threatened on his way to victory in an otherwise uneventful race.
"Of course the start helped me out a lot for the rest of the race. We were also on a different strategy to the other cars around us but again, an incredible result," said Verstappen afterwards.
"The pace of the car was really nice. We had to look after our tyres because it was a really long stint on the mediums but we made it work.
"It's an incredible atmosphere and we love to come here.
"It's been an incredible year so far, we are definitely enjoying it and we'll try to go for more [victories]."
Behind Verstappen, Hamilton took second place, ahead of the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez, who was cheered to the echo by a partisan Mexican crowd.
Russell took fourth ahead of the twin Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, with the Prancing Horse strangely out of sorts all weekend.
Daniel Ricciardo took seventh for McLaren despite taking a ten-second penalty for a collision with Yuki Tsunoda, with Esteban Ocon eighth in his Alpine.
Lando Norris finished ninth in the second McLaren, with Valtteri Bottas rounding out the top ten for Alfa Romeo.
Having already sealed the 2022 F1 Drivers' Championship, Verstappen's win puts him on 416 points, with Perez moving up to second on 280, and Leclerc dropping to third with 275 points.
In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull have 696 points, ahead of Ferrari on 487 and Mercedes on 447.
The 21st round of the 2022 F1 World Championship is the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit on November 13th. ■
