The Best Moments Of The Freakishly Good Mexican Grand Prix

The 2016 Mexican Grand Prix started off with a bang, got boring in the middle, then got really good and very sweary towards the end. Here were all of the best bits!
The Best Moments Of The Freakishly Good Mexican Grand Prix

1. Where’s Hamilton off to?

The Best Moments Of The Freakishly Good Mexican Grand Prix

It was like something you do on an open lobby F1 2016 race. Lewis Hamilton locked up and went straight on at the first corner on the opening lap of the race, completely ignoring the chicane and emerging with quite a healthy lead.

How he didn’t get a penalty, we do not know…

But, because of several collisions further back, the Safety Car was deployed and his advantage was cut. Nico Rosberg and Max Verstappen clashed, causing the Mercedes to also cut the chicane, while Esteban Gutierrez tagged Pascal Wehrlein into Marcus Ericsson.

We didn’t see it until a little way into the race but Fernando Alonso made an epic save on the first lap when he was forced onto the grass by countryman and friend Carlos Sainz Jr. They’ll probably be having words later on…

4. Zzzzzz

The Best Moments Of The Freakishly Good Mexican Grand Prix

As we saw last year at the Mexican GP, things quickly calmed down through the pit stop phase. Gaps opened up and battles fizzled out, but we all hoped it would come together at the end as strategies merged.

Nico Hulkenberg tried his best to fend off Kimi Raikkonen (Hulk vs. Iceman) but the Ferrari driver went around the outside at Turn 4, with minor contact sending the Force India into a smokey spin. He dropped to seventh.

After a failed move by Verstappen, Rosberg scampered off into the distance. Vettel tried to pass the Red Bull on lap 70 but he went straight across the first chicane (‘Hamilton’ style). Daniel Ricciardo then tried to get in on the act at the next corner but he tagged wheels with Vettel and the Ferrari remained ahead.

Things got heated on Vettel’s team radio, with the FOM bleep machine getting worked hard to cover up some of the fruity language. Vettel was fuming, but that was set to change…

8. Post-race drama

The Best Moments Of The Freakishly Good Mexican Grand Prix

Verstappen had made it up to the pre-podium green room with Hamilton, who won the race, and Rosberg before he learned that he had been given a five-second time penalty for gaining an advantage by cutting the chicane when Vettel tried to overtake. His mood quickly soured…

Rosberg now has a 19-point lead over Hamilton in the title fight, ahead of the penultimate race weekend in Brazil in two weeks.

What was your favourite moment? Let us know in the comments!

Update

Vettel was given a 10-second penalty after the race for moving under braking during his battle with Ricciardo and fell to fifth. Ricciardo was promoted to the podium, the third driver to be classified P3 on Sunday…

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Comments

Anonymous

What about max attempting initial d?

10/30/2016 - 23:30 |
28 | 3
Anonymous

Goddamit, I wish I could have woken up before the race was over. I woke up during the podium celebrations.

10/30/2016 - 23:34 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Take it to the chin, Vettel-boy.

10/30/2016 - 23:53 |
12 | 5
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Smerig gespeeld van verstappen

11/01/2016 - 09:04 |
0 | 1
The Prius Tumor

Sorry, no. Its saved as as reenshot on my phone and i have no idea where i found it.

10/31/2016 - 00:08 |
0 | 2

*a screenshot

10/31/2016 - 00:08 |
0 | 0
aero_mati

Vettel was handed a 10 second penalty for “potentially dangerous driving” which puts him in 5th position, giving Ricciardo 3rd place.

Which is ridiculous, usually Vettel complains a lot, but this time he’s right. He had all the right to be angry. Max made a mistake, maintained his position by cutting two corners, didn’t give Seb his position and slowed him down so Daniel could overtake him. Vettel defended his position perfectly, if Max didn’t give him his position why did RedBull expect Seb to just move out of Daniel’s way?. Bumping and defending positions is racing, racing is “POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS”. Giving a 10 second penalty because somebody defended his position and a 5 second one to somebody who cut 2 corners is idiotic. But I can understand Max’s way of thinking, why would they penalise me if they didn’t even analysed Hamilton’s manoeuvre. FIA and F1 is a joke, drivers aren’t allowed to fight each other and push their cars (because of fuel restrictions and energy and so on…), and then they complain that the races are boring (which they are). Just my two cents. Rant ended.

10/31/2016 - 03:56 |
7 | 2

Funny to see how everybody gets raged when Verstappen moves under braking but when Vettel did it is it his right to defend his position^^

10/31/2016 - 05:20 |
7 | 4

Defending like that is illegal. Vettel helped make it illegal. He should have known not to break his own rule. He broke it so he got a penalty. Rules are rules, fair is fair.

10/31/2016 - 12:20 |
1 | 0

I think that 10 second penalty was the revenge of Charlie Whiting…

10/31/2016 - 16:11 |
2 | 0

Max gave the advantage he gained by cutting that corner back immediately.

10/31/2016 - 18:48 |
0 | 0
RaceIsAWayOfLife

And then there was this moment that Vettel get a 10 sec penalty. HAHA IN YOUR FACE VETTEL.

10/31/2016 - 05:44 |
4 | 4
Anonymous

Perfect

10/31/2016 - 06:19 |
8 | 7
icebreakertech

Vettel got a 10 sec penalty. Ricciardo 3th, Verstappen 4th, Vettel 5th. As a Verstappen fan I think it’s fair now, but they should have given Hamilton a penalty as well.

10/31/2016 - 06:27 |
4 | 2
Nissan 420sx

I don’t like what verstappen said. He just sank in my estimation

10/31/2016 - 07:24 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

You can say whatever you want to about verstappen,vettel or hamilton but can we all atleast agree f1 is great again now.

10/31/2016 - 09:24 |
4 | 1
ItsChar

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Fix the car sounds and I’d agree.

10/31/2016 - 10:32 |
3 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

How does hamilton drivin on his own for an hour make f1 great?

11/01/2016 - 12:39 |
0 | 0