Although Sunday belonged to Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen's sixth victory in Mexico drew attention. The Dutchman joked the race should be renamed the "Maxico" Grand Prix. Historically, Red Bull's Honda turbo excelled at altitude, and Verstappen thrives in the slippery, low-downforce conditions at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
In 2026, strategy proved decisive. After stubborn tyre choices cost Red Bull in Austin, the team reacted sharply to Charles Leclerc's five-second penalty. Despite starting on mediums and planning a longer stint, Red Bull pitted Verstappen on the same lap as Leclerc to secure track position. Verstappen admitted he lacked pace to follow Leclerc but stayed within the five-second window. The team anticipated Leclerc's penalty stop would take longer than five seconds, allowing Verstappen to jump ahead.
A long stint on softs followed, prompting engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to call for a "magical Mexico stint." Verstappen delivered, though a late safety car nearly undone him. A subsequent red flag provided a timely reset, cementing a win built on strategic agility rather than pure pace.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing