F1 Mexico City GP: Will Max Verstappen repay Sergio Perez by giving up win?
Will Verstappen help Perez at his home race?
Sergio Perez is locked in an intense fight for second-place in the drivers’ championship, trailing Charles Leclerc by just two points with three rounds remainiꦉng.
While Red Bull have already secured the drivers’ and constructors’ crowns, they will still be wanting Perez to finish second behind Max Verstappen - something they never managed in the days of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.
The 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:F1 Mexico City Grand Prix is Perez’s home race, and a first꧒-eve🃏r victory in front of his adoring fans would be something special to see.
During his Red Bull career, Perez has helped Verstappen on multiple occasions, most notably at the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he backed Lewis Hamilton up considerably duringღ the race.
Would Ver🌸stappen be willing to return the favour and help Perez🐬 win in Mexico?
Verstappen has already wrapped up the drivers’ titജle, but he's searching for his 14th victory of the year.
A 14th win would move him clear in the record boo🤪ks for the most number of wins in a season, but Verstappen will have opportunities to do it in Brazil and Ab🥀u Dhabi.
Verstappen has dominated the Mexico꧒ City GP inꦺ recent seasons, winning on three occasions.
It's likely that the Dutchman will be the man to beat, but if Perez is running in second, would he gi🐎v♛e up the win?
Given how competitive and hungry Verstappen is to w♒in, it’s highly unlikely, but it's an interesting t✨alking point nonetheless.
Can Mercedes end their win drought?
Mercedes are on for their first winꦯless sea🉐son since 2011.
The United States GP was another near miss for 𒆙Hamilton and Mercedes, losing out on the victory in the closing five laps.
Hamiltoꦜn took the lead after an aggressive undercut, combined with a s🐼low pit stop for Verstappen.
Mercedes’ lack of oꦏutright pace, alongside their lack of straight-line speed, meant Hamilton was unable to fend off his former title rival to claim his first victory since Saudi Arabia last year.
Looking ahead to Mexico, while traditionally the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez hasn’t suited Mercedes, this ౠyear might be differᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚent.
Due to the high altitude, teams are forced to run maximum downforce, and at any circuits that Mercedes have performed well on (Zandvoort, Hungaroring), high downforce is♔ required.
Their lack of straight-line speed should ♊be less of a factor in Mexico City.
Over the years, Red Bull were often in Mercedes’ position - lacking straigh𝓀t-line speed and engine power - but always performed well in Mexico.
While the Renault and Honda power units were renowned for performing better than Mercedes and Ferrari at altitude, the G🍸erman manufacturer should be hopeful of another competitive showing this weekend.
More rookies get their chance
Like in☂ Austin, more rookies will get their chance to prove themselves in 2022 F1 machinery.
For Alpine, Jack Doohan will make his F1 debut in first practice at the 🙈Mexico City and Ab🅰u Dhabi grands prix.
Doohan will replace♌ Esteban Ocon in FP1 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, d🍸riving Alpine’s 2022 challenger for just the second time having tested for the team on demonstration tyres at Monza last month.
It’s likely Oscar Piastri would have been in the car for these FP1ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ sessions had it not been for his shock switch to McLaren for F1 2023.
At AlphaTauri, Liam Lawson will replace 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Yuki Tsunoda for the first hour of running.
Brazilian Pietro Fittipaldi wilᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚl drive for Haas in first practice, while 2023 Williams driver💮 Logan Sargeant will get another chance to drive for the team in Mexico.
168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:F1 cost cap to be settled?
Following the death of Dietrich Mateschitz, the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:FIA decided to delay discussions with Red Bull regarding their minor breach oཧf the c🍸ost cap for the 2021 season.
Ahead of Sunday's United States Grand Prix, a Red Bull 🎉spokesperson said: "Following the passing of Mr Mateschitz, all conversations with the FIA around Cost Cap and next steps are on hold until further notice.
"The deadline for agreemen🔯t has been extended and we expect talks to pick back up in the middle of the week."
Red Bull’s overspending in 2021 has dominated the media headlines in recent weeks, with a r🌱esolution still yet to be found.
A number of team bosses, including Toto Wolff and Zak Brown, have called fo🀅r strict punishments to deter teams from breaching the cost cap in future seasons.
Red Bull boss Christian Hor💃ner went on the defensive on Saturday in Austin, blasting rival teams for waging🐟 a “concerted campaign for a draconian penalty” for their ‘minor’ overspend.
Even if a settlement isn’t reaꦫched, ꦛit’s likely to remain a major talking point in Mexico.
With a sharp eye for F1’s controversies and storylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unbiased reporti💯ng.
