Mexico City: Lewis Hamilton will be chasing his fourth Formula One season championship from behind Sebastian Vettel, who won his 50th career pole position. Blistering late laps by Vettel and Max Verstappen will have Ferrari and Red Bull starting 1-2 at the Mexican Grand Prix Sunday with Hamilton to start third. Hamilton leads Vettel by 66 points in the season championship with three races left and can win it if he finishes fifth or better.
Hamilton zipped through the opening from fifth to take the victory in a race the proved a critical turning point in his championship fight with Vettel. That crash changed Ferrari’s fortunes this season as Hamilton stormed to his big lead with two more wins since then.
The first turn in Mexico City could be just as wild. All three drivers were involved in incidents there last year when cars drove into the grass and came back. Hamilton wasn’t penalised for his move, but Verstappen was and it cost him a podium finish.
Race officials have placed new curbs at the first turn so that any car venturing into the grass will have to take a long, slow route to return. Verstappen has been on a late-season surge with a victory in Malaysia and a second-place finish in Japan. He thought he had another podium last week at the US Grand Prix until he was penalised for an improper pass on the final lap. An engine upgrade last week in Texas has him pushing Hamilton and Vettel around the track.
agence france-presse