Verstappen seals 2023 F1 title with Mexico GP win

Max Verstappen of Red Bull clinched the Formula 1 world title with a mathematically secured championship three weeks earlier, and he celebrated with a victory this Sunday at the Mexican Grand Prix. The race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez started with drama as local hero Sergio Perez crashed at the first corner, causing the event to be abandoned.

Relating to

• Verstappen makes history in Mexico while Alonso and Aston Martin face setbacks

Verstappen, at 26 years old, extended his own record by reaching 16 victories in a single season. He beat seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, who set the fastest lap, and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who finished behind him. Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso completed the top five, with Alonso, a two-time world champion from Asturias, experiencing retirement for the second time in this season on lap 48 of 71.

[F1 World Championship standings]

Known as Mad Max, Verstappen earned his 51st career victory in Formula 1, his fifth in Mexico, tying the historic record once held by Alain Prost. In another notable showing, Lando Norris of McLaren and George Russell of Mercedes finished fifth and sixth respectively after putting in a late surge.

Even though Perez has retired, he remained second in the World Cup with 240 points. After the race, Daniel Ricciardo of AlphaTauri finished seventh, with compatriot Oscar Piastri in eighth, narrowly ahead of Hamilton who claimed the fastest lap on the final circuit of the test. Sainz finished fourth in the World Championship, trailing teammate Alonso who sits in a tie for points with Sainz at 183, though Sainz holds the tiebreaker with better results this season. The Madrid native remains the only non-Red Bull winner this year, with his sole triumph coming in Singapore.

[Season calendar for the Formula 1 World Championship]

Alex Albon of Williams finished the race in ninth, with Esteban Ocon of Alpine close behind in tenth. The penultimate round of the season will take place next weekend at the Interlagos circuit in São Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Qatar GP F1 Race Result:

1. Max Verstappen 25 points

2. Lewis Hamilton 19 points

3. Charles Leclerc 15 points

4. Carlos Sainz 12 points

5. Lando Norris 10 points

6. George Russell 8 points

7. Daniel Ricciardo 6 points

8. Oscar Piastri 4 points

9. Alexander Albon 2 points

10. Esteban Ocon 1 point

F1 World Championship 2023 teams classification:

1. Max Verstappen – 491 points

2. Sergio Perez – 240 points

3. Lewis Hamilton – 220 points

4. Carlos Sainz – 183 points

5. Fernando Alonso – 183 points

6. Lando Norris – 169 points

7. Charles Leclerc – 166 points

8. George Russell – 151 points

9. Oscar Piastri – 87 points

10. Pierre Gasly – 56 points