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    F1 introduce ‘Brundle clause’ to force celebrities to give interviews and block them from using bodyguards on grids

    F1 BOSSES have apparently introduced a ‘Brundle clause’ to stop celebrities from snubbing grid interviews.Sky commentator Martin Brundle thinks the sport’s chiefs have put in a new rule for the rich and famous.
    Martin Brundle’s famous grid walks seem to have led to a rule change from F1 bossesCredit: Getty
    Martin Brundle (right) had a run-in with one of Megan Thee Stallion’s bodyguards as he tried to interview her at the US Grand PrixCredit: Splash
    It came after an awkward exchange between Brundle and Megan Thee Stallion at the United States Grand Prix.
    The broadcaster was ushered away by the rapper’s security when he tried to ask a question.
    One of the rapper’s protecters told Brundle: “You can’t do that.”
    But the former F1 driver snapped back: “I can because I just did.”
    And Brundle called for manners from celebrities attending races in a post on social media.
    He wrote: “I have felt under pressure on the grid before but by people called Senna, Prost, Schumacher, Mansell, Piquet and so on.
    “Bodyguards visiting the grid for the first time don’t bother me, everyone’s got a job to do, but they could maybe learn some manners and respect on our patch.”
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    And it looks like the broadcaster has got his way, if his latest comments are to be believed.
    Brundle said: “There have been new rules introduced, that any celebrities on the grid must not have bodyguards any longer.
    “It must be the ‘Brundle clause’, and they’re obliged to talk to me. I sort of like it if they ignore me, to be honest.
    “I like to call out some of the celebs that I think are just using the grid a little bit if I’m honest. They don’t really have a passion.
    “I know there are millions of fans at home going ‘I should be on that grid. I’m a massive Formula 1 fan, not them’.
    “But my claim to fame at last. I get ignored by Megan Thee Stallion, I get biffed out of the way by a man mountain and then told off by a Malfoy lookalike who doubtless was on his first-ever time to a Formula 1 grid.
    “I put out a simple tweet about it and got five million impressions. I don’t understand any of that, to be honest.”

    Lewis Hamilton stuns group of kids by ditching disguise and giving inspirational speech More

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    ‘Beat us but can’t break us’ – Lewis Hamilton backtracks over Valtteri Bottas ‘letting door open’ for Max Verstappen

    LEWIS HAMILTON has set the record straight on his comments towards his teammate Valtteri Bottas AND Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.After Max Verstappen’s win in Mexico, Hamilton – and his Mercedes boss Toto Wolff – questioned how the Dutchman was allowed so much space by Bottas going into turn one.
    Lewis Hamilton clarified his comments about team-mate Valtteri BottasCredit: Splash
    Max Verstappen celebrates with his Mexican team-mate Sergio Perez after victory last weekendCredit: AFP
    Verstappen swooped around both Mercedes cars into the lead and he did not look back and while Hamilton finished second, Bottas was left out of the points.
    However, Hamilton has cleared up his comments towards Bottas, who will leave the team at the end of the season.
    Hamilton wrote on Instagram: “We all have bad days. We live and we learn.”Yesterday I said that VB [Bottas] left the door open and naturally people will jump to criticise.
    “We are a team and we win and lose as a team. There is not one single person responsible for winning or losing, we do it together good or bad.
    “You may be able to beat us but you can’t break us! On to the next one Valtteri, let’s keep pushing bro.”

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    Hamilton also posted about his remarks towards Perez, the Mexican who finished in third place.
    After the race Hamilton said: “When you’ve got Checo [Perez] on your tail, then you know the car is quick.”
    However, Hamilton says that was not meant to be a criticism of Perez.
    He added: “Just want to make sure people don’t read what I was saying wrong yesterday.
    “I have a lot of respect for Perez, and think he’s doing a great job in his new team.
    “He’s improved so much this season and I know how hard it is to progress with a new team, it takes time.
    “My comment was simply that following another car in Mexico is the hardest thing due to the low drag we all have.
    “That’s why there is very little over taking (sic). However, he was able to follow so closely which highlights just how much more downforce they were able to carry.
    “Big up Checo for keeping it clean.”

    🏁 F1 2021 calendar: practice times, dates and racetrack info
    Hamilton’s ex-team-mate Rosberg reveals why he couldn’t drive two laps in F1 car More

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    British wonderkid Oliver Bearman, 16, joins Ferrari young driver academy after winning Italian AND German F4 titles

    BRITISH teenager Oliver Bearman has joined the Ferrari young driver academy after winning the Italian AND German Formula 4 titles this season.The 16-year-old from Chelmsford joins the prestigious Italian F1 team following in the footsteps of Charles Leclerc, Jules Bianchi, Lance Stroll and Mick Schumacher over the past decade.
    Teenager Oliver Bearman has won junior races across EuropeCredit: Getty
    Bearman, who impressed at Ferrari’s scouting world finals at Maranello last month, said: “I am really happy to have been selected to join the Ferrari Driver Academy.
    “It is a great way to end what has been a really good racing season for me.
    “Just spending a week in Maranello was in itself an amazing experience, especially getting to drive at the Fiorano track.
    “Now I can’t wait to start working at the academy and to be part of the Ferrari family and to see what the future holds for me.”
    Bearman took the ADAC Formula 4 title in Germany last weekend finishing 26 points clear of second place.
    He had earlier sealed the Italian F4 title with 11 wins including a seven-in-a-row sequence across Misano, Vallelunga and Imola.

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    The storied ‘Prancing Horse’ team are the most successful in F1 having claimed a record 16 constructors’ championships.
    They dominated the early 2000s when the legendary Schumacher claimed five consecutive titles from 2000 to 2005.
    But they have struggled to hit those same heady heights with the emergence of rivals such as Mercedes and Red Bull.
    Their drivers currently sit sixth and seventh in the championship – Leclerc one spot above his team-mate Carlos Sainz.
    Hamilton’s ex-team-mate Rosberg reveals why he couldn’t drive two laps in F1 car More

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    ‘It’s time we had a change’ – Sir Jackie Stewart tips Lewis Hamilton to finally lose F1 crown to Max Verstappen

    SIR JACKIE STEWART has tipped Max Verstappen to beat Lewis Hamilton to the F1 title and declared: It’s time for a change.The three-time world champion was in Mexico City where Verstappen won Sunday’s GP to open up a commanding 19-gap over Hamilton in the championship.
    Max Verstappen opened up a 19-point title lead in Mexico this weekendCredit: AFP
    A dejected Lewis Hamilton admitted he didn’t have the pace to keep up with the Red BullCredit: EPA
    Hamilton was dejected at the end of the race and admitted he simply could not match Verstappen’s Red Bull for pace.
    When asked to pick the championship winner after the four remaining races, Stewart sided with the Dutchman.
    He said: “I think Verstappen is going to win it. I think the Red Bull now is going, the Honda is obviously good, very good, the team knows how to win.
    “Mercedes-Benz has been doing this for so many years now and has been successful for so many years.
    “It is time we had a change. For all of our viewers and everybody else, we need a change. It will only be a bigger challenge for Lewis to overtake again.”
    While Stewart is confident, Red Bull’s design whizz, Adrian Newey, is remaining cautious about ending Merc’s seven-year domination of the sport.
    Newey, who splits his time across refining this year’s challenger and next year’s new car, said: “You just cannot say [the title is Max’s], can you? It has been nip and tuck all year.
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    Sir Jackie Steward thinks it’s time for a change at the top after Lewis Hamilton’s dominanceCredit: Getty

    “Obviously, going into Silverstone he had a healthy advantage and two races later we were completely on the back foot so everything can change.”
    Meanwhile, Merc boss Toto Wolff says he is refusing to give up hope about overturning the deficit to Red Bull.
    He said: “I’m a pretty realistic person, but I love motor racing, because anything can happen.
    “None of us are ever going to leave this circuit with the mentality of this is going away from us.
    “There’s four races to go, there’s four wins to take, four DNFs to suffer. And we will just continue fighting.
    “We know we have a great team. Our car was exceptionally good in Turkey. And I think we have all to win.
    “But when you look at the mathematical probability, obviously I’d rather be 19 points ahead than behind. But it is what it is.”
    Max Verstappen and the Red Bull team celebrate the F1 win in the USA More

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    ‘Their car is far superior’ – Lewis Hamilton insists he cannot do anything to stop Max Verstappen from nearing F1 title

    LEWIS HAMILTON admitted he was powerless to close the gap on world championship leader Max Verstappen at the Mexico City Grand Prix.Verstappen triumphed on Sunday as he finished 16.5 seconds ahead of Hamilton in what proved to be a major success for Red Bull as Sergio Perez came third in his country.
    Lewis Hamilton finished second behind Max Verstappen at the Mexico City Grand PrixCredit: Rex
    Lewis Hamilton admitted Max Verstappen’s Red Bull car was “far superior”Credit: Rex
    The British superstar couldn’t catch up with the Dutch driver and admitted his car is “far superior” as he now trails by 19 points in the Formula One rankings.
    Hamilton said after the race: “First, congratulations to Max.
    “Their car is far superior this weekend and there was nothing we could really do about it.
    “I gave it absolutely everything and it was a great fight with Sergio at the end. I was able to at least get second.
    “It shows how fast their car is when Sergio is right behind me and able to follow that closely.
    “He did a great job and he was applying that pressure and just kept going. I really enjoyed the race still.”

    Verstappen gained the lead early on into the race after Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas lost his lead by spinning at the first corner.
    But the 24-year-old remains focused on the task at hand insisting there is “still a long way to go”.
    Verstappen said: “The start? It was nice, three cars wide, and it was all about just trying to brake as late as you can.
    “I kept it on the track, came from third to first, and that was basically what made my race because I could just focus on myself, and we had incredible pace in the car.
    “There’s still a long way to go in the championship. It’s of course looking good but it can also turn around very quickly.
    “I’m looking forward to Brazil next week. I have very good memories there.”
    Hamilton’s ex-team-mate Rosberg reveals why he couldn’t drive two laps in F1 car More

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    F1 Mexican Grand Prix race LIVE RESULT: Verstappen WINS as Hamilton holds off Perez for big second place – race reaction

    MAX VERSTAPPEN has won the F1 Mexican Grand Prix to extend his F1 World Championship lead.Valtteri Bottas led Lewis Hamilton in a one-two after qualifying but Verstappen managed to squeeze past both drivers at the start
    And to make matters worse for Toto Wolff’s team, Valtteri Bottas spun after being tagged by Sergio Perez.
    However the stewards have adjudged the move to be a racing incident and opted against punishing Perez in his home Grand Prix.
    And Hamilton was almost pipped for second by the Mexican but crucially managed to hold Perez off for his World Championship campaign.
    Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

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    PEREZ SUCCESS
    Red Bull star Sergio Perez enjoyed tremendous success at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
    Perez made history as he became the first Mexican driver to score a podium in his hometown.
    The star driver was also named Driver of the Day.
    More below:

    TOTO WOLFF REACTS
    “You have to congratulate Red Bull because the pace was just on another level.
    “I don’t think we could have won the race even if we had stayed ahead in the first corner because they could have driven circles around the pit-stops.
    “So in the end I think for Lewis’ [Hamilton] championship it was damage limitation, as for the constructor Valtteri [Bottas] spinning out Turn 1 was just very painful.
    “I don’t know what they did wrong in qualifying and the pace came towards us, but this is the pace we’ve seen on Friday. It’s worse than we had hoped, but we have to take it on the chin”
    MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX
    Has there ever been a more epic podium entrance than this?
    Take a bow Max Verstappen:

    PEREZ REACTS
    “It’s an unbelievable day.
    “Of course I wanted more, I wanted to get a one-two for the team but I didn’t have a single chance to get through.
    “I could hear the crowd coming through the stadium section, it was pretty incredible”
    GETTY IMAGES
    VERSTAPPEN REACTS
    “The crowd is incredible, having Checo [Sergio Perez] as a team-mate coming here to Mexico is amazing.
    “The start? It was nice three wide and it was all about just trying to brake as late as you can.
    “I kept it on the track, came from third to first and that was basically what made my race because I could just focus on myself, and we had incredible pace in the car.
    “There’s still a long way to go [in the championship]. It’s of course looking good but also it can turn around very quickly.
    “I’m looking forward to Brazil, I also have very good memories there”
    GETTY IMAGES
    HAMILTON REACTS
    “Firstly congratulations to Max [Verstappen], their car is far superior this weekend and there was nothing we could really do about it.
    “I gave it absolutely everything and it was a great fight with Sergio [Perez] at the end, I was able to at least get second.
    “It shows how fast their car is when Sergio is that close behind me and able to follow that closely.
    “He did a great job and he was applying that pressure and just kept going… I really enjoyed the race still”
    GETTY IMAGES
    MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX
    Two Red Bull stars make the podium with Verstappen winning the race and Perez finishing third.
    Hamilton made it to second place in a difficult track for Mercedes as Bottas only managed 15th place due to an unlucky start.
    Gasly and Leclerc complete the top five

    LAP 71/71
    Bottas achieves the fastest lap, which means Mercedes do take some comfort.
    That also leads to a point’s deduction for Verstappen, which means his championship lead is now 19 points.
    Four more races remain!
    LAP 71/71
    Hamilton manages to finish second with over 16 seconds behind Verstappen.
    Perez makes history as he becomes the first Mexican driver to score a podium here
    MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX!!!
    Verstappen completes an amazing performance at the Mexico City Grand Prix!
    The Dutchman dominated the entire race even though he started third!
    LAP 70/71
    Final lap!
    Perez needs to dig deep as it is now or never.
    Hamilton still holds on!
    LAP 69/71
    Just two more laps to go!
    Verstappen leads by over 16 seconds with Hamilton fighting hard to prevent a Red Bull one-two!
    Perez is just over a second behind him
    LAP 68/71
    Hamilton clocks up a personal best.
    The Mercedes star’s most realistic goal here is second place
    LAP 67/71
    Verstappen is leading by a whopping 19 seconds at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
    Meanwhile, his Red Bull team-mate Perez is just two seconds behind second-placed Hamilton.
    And Sainz as well as Gasly are fighting for fourth place
    LAP 65/71
    Mercedes have just pitted Bottas again in order to put soft tyres.
    The Finn will be going for the fastest lap in order to take it off Verstappen
    LAP 64/71
    Hamilton continues as he say, “”The car is getting so hot… It’s overheating.”
    Meanwhile, Perez backs off a bit as the dirty air is doing his tyres no good
    LAP 62/71
    Another concerning message by Hamilton who says, “Tyres are giving up”.
    The British star was temporarily stuck behind Norris but immediately moved past him
    LAP 61/71
    The Mexico City crowd are on their feet as Perez is closing the gap with Hamilton as we are set for the final 10 laps.
    The message from Red Bull is clear: “Pace is good, tyres are good, battery is good. Let’s get him”
    LAP 58/71
    Hamilton issues a concerned message as he informs through the radio that the “tyres are wearing”.
    This is while, Perez cuts the distance to 1.5 seconds
    LAP 57/71
    Ferrari have made the swap!
    Ferrari wanted Sainz to replace Leclerc because he has fresher tyres.
    However, Gasly is 12 seconds ahead of them, therefore we’re talking about an ambitious plan here…
    LAP 55/71
    Oh boy, Perez is catching up to Hamilton.
    The two drivers are only three seconds apart!
    LAP 54/71
    Ferrari have informed Leclerc to swap places with Sainz, who is sixth.
    No response from Leclerc yet
    LAP 53/71
    Ricciardo and Bottas continue their rivalry as they battle for 12th place.
    Meanwhile, it keeps getting better for Verstappen who clocked up his fastest lap
    LAP 49/71
    Verstappen is absolutely dominant with over 12 seconds separating him from second-placed Hamilton.
    His Red Bull team-mate Perez is closing in with five seconds separating him from the British driver
    Load more entries… More

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    Max Verstappen tightens grip on F1 title with Mexican GP win after brave first-corner overtake of rival Lewis Hamilton

    MAX VERSTAPPEN’S brilliant win in Mexico City drove another nail into Lewis Hamilton’s title challenge.It was somewhat fitting that the mega-city was celebrating their Day of the Dead festival – Hamilton’s campaign looks killed off after another hammer blow from Verstappen.
    Max Verstappen beat rival Lewis Hamilton in Mexico to increase his title leadCredit: AFP
    Daniel Ricciardo took pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas out in a first corner melee, leaving Verstappen in the leadCredit: Getty
    The Dutchman pulled off a sensational overtake on Hamilton and pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas at the start – and never looked back.
    In fact, his faultless drive in this race turned it into a zzzziesta rather than fiesta, as he convincingly pressed home his advantage.
    He said: “What a race! Unbelievable pace in the car. A great job, let’s keep it up.”
    Until now, Hamilton and Verstappen had traded places in the championship table, but back-to-back wins for the Red Bull man has seen him open up a 19-point gap at the top.
    Verstappen, who took his third win in Mexico, said it was ‘straightforward’: “It is still a long way to go in the championship, but it is looking good.”
    Mercedes were dumbstruck they had managed to secure a one-two in qualifying. Red Bull had been the quicker car all weekend and it proved to be a false dawn.

    Verstappen made a sensational start from third place on the grid.
    Just a day earlier, he’d said that he preferred qualifying in third, rather than second, as he was on the clean side of the grid.
    And he was proven right.
    He benefited from the slipstream behind Hamilton and swooped to the left and ducked around the Brit and into first place at turn one.
    Bottas was too early on the brakes and Daniel Ricciardo clipped the rear of his Merc, sending him into a spin, dropping the Finn to the back of the field.
    It resulted in chaos behind as Yuki Tsunoda and Mick Schumacher were caught out and sent crashing out of the race.
    Race stewards deployed the safety car as the mess was cleared from the track, but any hopes Mercedes had of seeing Hamilton jump Verstappen at the restart were quickly dashed.
    Verstappen stamped his right foot on the gas pedal in his Red Bull and started powering away from his title rival.
    After just two laps of proper racing, he’d opened up a gap of 2.5 seconds over Hamilton, who simply could not believe his eyes, telling his team over the radio: “He’s quick!”
    By lap 21, the gap was up to 7.5 seconds as ice-cool Verstappen reported that he was having no issues with his Red Bull.
    Verstappen led Hamilton who was followed by Sergio Perez for the majority of the raceCredit: EPA
    Hamilton is now 19 points behind his rival in the drivers’ championshipCredit: AP
    By contrast, Hamilton was already struggling with his tyres, which were beginning to overheat.
    Another disgruntled radio message from the current world champion soon followed as he again told his team: “These guys are obviously too fast for us.”
    Nervous Hamilton soon turned his attention to his mirrors, as Perez’s Red Bull was getting closer.
    Again on the radio, he said: “I can’t pull away from him.” Fearing the worst, Mercedes pressed the button and called in Hamilton for fresh tyres on lap 30.
    The stop was solid from Mercedes but he was released back on to the track behind Charles Leclerc.
    The Ferrari man then pitted, releasing Hamilton, who started lapping quicker than Verstappen although he remained comfortable in front.
    I was just grateful to finish secondLewis Hamilton
    Hamilton’s pace caught the attention of the Red Bull pitwall, as Verstappen was called in for his stop on lap 34.
    It was quick and clean from Red Bull but enough to promote Perez into the lead of his home race.
    The Mexican lapped up the support from his home fans before he too was called in for tyres on lap 40.
    When he made his way back on track, he was third behind Hamilton, while Verstappen had now stretched out a ten-second lead over the Mercedes.
    FIGHT TO THE FLAG
    In a dash to the finishing line, Perez started reeling in Hamilton’s advantage.
    He was within a second with nine laps to go and Hamilton was given a warning that his brakes were overheating.
    Perez too took his time to cool his car in preparation for a last-gasp attempt to dislodge Hamiton from second place.
    But he could not find a way past the Brit, who clung on for second place.
    Hamilton, who sat in his Mercedes for some time after the race in parce ferme.
    He said over the radio: “I gave it everything. I just didn’t have the pace.”
    In his voice, there was the air of resignation. He knows the title is slipping from his grasp.
    He later added: “That car was far superior this weekend and there was nothing we could do with it. I was just grateful to finish second.”
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    F1 Mexican Grand Prix LIVE: Race build-up, Bottas on POLE, Hamilton takes second with Verstappen third – latest updates

    VALTTERI BOTTAS will start on pole position in tonight’s Mexican Grand Prix.The Mercedes driver put in a masterful performance during qualifying, with teammate Lewis Hamilton in second and F1 Driver’s Championsip leader Max Verstappen third.

    TV/Live stream: Sky Sports F1
    Race – TONIGHT 7pm

    Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

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    WOLFF TALKS
    Toto Wolff hasn’t discussed team strategies with his Mercedes Formula 1 drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton after their front row lock-out in Mexico.
    Mercedes stunned Red Bull by clinching a 1-2 in qualifying at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Saturday as Bottas secured his third pole of the season.
    And speaking before the Mexican GP, Wolff said: “No, we haven’t discussed [it] because we felt that we were not in a position to consider to talk about.
    “It would have been such a long shot, talking about the victory before qualifying.
    “Obviously the situation is different now, and we are going to address it tomorrow morning, like we always do in the strategy meeting.”
    BIG BAD WOLFF
    Red Bull boss Christian Horner has labelled Toto Wolff a ‘pantomime dame’ after the Mercedes chief suggested the title race may be decided by a remake of the ‘Senna-Prost’ 1990 crash.
    And Wolff believes that either Verstappen or Hamilton might do a ‘Senna-Prost’ by taking the other out.
    The pair have come to blows a couple of times this season already at both Silverstone and the Italian Grand Prix.
    In Italy, Hamilton had a lucky escape with the halo saving him from being crushed underneath Verstappen’s car.
    Horner responded: “Look, we all know that Toto has a lot to say but I was quite flattered to be called a protagonist, if you look at the definition of what it means.
    “You need an antagonist to have a protagonist and one could say perhaps Toto fills that role pretty well.
    “If it were a pantomime, maybe the pantomime dame role might suit him. But it is all about what goes on on the track and it is a great competition between the teams.
    “It is no-holds barred, it is pit-walls against pit-walls, drivers against drivers, engine suppliers against engine suppliers, chassis against chassis. It is fantastic and we are loving it.
    “Occasionally you are going to get some flak thrown at you but you take it with a pinch of salt and sometimes even as a compliment.”
    MAX MYSTERY
    Max Verstappen has revealed why he thinks his Red Bull team finished behind Mercedes going into the Mexican GP.
    He said: “I think we just were really slow and just [had] terrible grip in Q3.
    “I think my last lap we recovered that a bit just [by] getting the tyres into a little bit [of] a better window.
    “But [it’s] still not to what we would have liked, and how the car has been behaving in all the practice sessions, so that’s a bit of a mystery.
    “But then we [will] mainly race on different tyres anyway, so I expect the balance to be good again.”
    DOUBLE TEAM
    Lewis Hamilton wants to double up with Mercedes pal Valtteri Bottas to stop Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the Mexico GP.
    While comparing Mexico to Russia’s GP, Hamilton revealed that he and Bottas will work together to stop Verstappen from clinching victory.
    He said: “It feels exactly the same sort of length but obviously, in Russia there’s a lot more drag and a lot more tow-effect.
    “Here there’s less but still there is a tow effect and so you know, Valtteri and I will no doubt work as a team to try and hold one-two for the team.”
    BOTTAS SUPPORT
    Valtteri Bottas has confirmed he will support Lewis Hamilton’s F1 championship charge at the Mexico City Grand Prix should circumstances allow.
    He said: The first thing I need to focus on is the race start, do my best and speak with Lewis on how we can maintain the lead as a team and how we can keep the Red Bulls behind,” said Bottas.
    “Then we will see how the race situation will be. I still am 100 per cent sure that there could be a circumstance where I could still win the race, I believe in that and I hope for that.
    “If not, then I will support Lewis and get the maximum points for the team.”
    VERSTAPPEN BLAME
    Red Bull star and World Championship leader Max Verstappen admitted he blames teammate Sergio Perez and AlphaTauri rookie Yuki Tsunoda for ruining his chance at pole position at qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix.
    He said: “It seemed like through qualifying the balance went away a little bit.
    “Then actually on the last lap I was on for a good lap. I don’t know what happened in front of me but there were two guys going off, so I thought there was going to be a yellow flag.
    “So I back out and then of course you know the lap is destroyed.
    “Even with that, and with not having great balance, I think we could have still gone for that pole lap.”
    NEVER GIVE UP
    It was a frustrating day yesterday for Mexico’s own Sergio Perez.
    He starts in p4 today.
    On yesterday, he said: “I feel frustrated because we had more and I was hoping to give them a better result. Tomorrow I’ll take each of you in my car!”
    RACE DAY
    Goooooooood morning, it’s race day!
    Mercedes will start in P1 and P2 today, with championship leader Max Verstappen in P3.

    BOTTAS IS ON POLE
    Hamilton takes second.
    Verstappen third.
    Mercedes did have the pace.
    VERSTAPPEN CANNOT IMPROVE
    He is third
    FLAG OUT
    Perez goes off track. And Mercedes are going quicker.
    FINAL RUNS
    THIS IS GOING TO BE CLOSE. TV replays showing Verstappen’s Red Bull has a pit of tape on his rear wing. He’s complaining of a lack of rear grip.
    FIRST RUNS COMPLETE
    Bottas takes provisional pole. Hamilton in second. Wow.
    Verstappen in P3 and Perez in P4.
    Could the Finn upset proceedings?
    FIVE TEAMS HAVE ALL THEIR DRIVERS INTO Q3
    Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and AlphaTauri.
    Q2 IS DONE – HAMILTON QUICKEST FROM VERSTAPPEN
    Vettel, Raikkonen, Russel, Giovinazzi and Ocon all out.

    IN THE DROP ZONE
    Are Vettel, Russell, Ocon, Giovinazzi and Raikkonen.
    VERSTAPPEN TOPS Q2
    But Hamilton is just 0,016 seconds behind the Red Bull man. This is close. Game on.

    Q2 IS GO – THE FIGHT TO GET INTO THE TOP 10 IS ON
    Russell will be hoping to make it into Q3 to lessen the blow of that 5-place grid penalty for taking a new gearbox.
    Q1 IS DONE – ALONSO IS ELIMINATED
    The two-time world champion is out. Latifi, Schumacher and Mazepin, plus Stroll, who crashed, are all out at the first hurdle.
    FIRST RUNS AND RED BULL MAKE IT 1-2 IN THE EARLY RUNNING
    It is looking all too comfortable for them. Are Mercedes struggling, or playing a waiting game?
    GREEN LIGHT
    We are go again in Mexico. A small problem for Sainz but he is going again in his Ferrari.

    PITLANE IS FULL
    The drivers are eager to get going again after Stroll’s accident.
    FIVE MINUTE WARNING
    The qualifying session will resume soon following Stroll’s accident.
    GETTING CLOSE TO RESTARTING THE ACTION
    Stroll’s car getting removed from the track.

    RED FLAG – CRASH FOR STROLL
    He has had a big crash, he is ok. He’s lost it on the straight, but the session is stopped while they clean up the track.

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