Ferrari threw a wrinkle into the Formula 1 constructors’ title race when their two drivers won the top two podium spots in Austin, Texas. Because of this, the Scuderia and their Tifosi come into the Mexican Grand Prix with renewed hope and confidence.
After a 43-point haul by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. in the US Grand Prix, Ferrari are closing in on the second-seeded Red Bull and the top-seeded McLaren in the constructors’ championship.
While Max Verstappen won the Sprint and finished third in the paddock at COTA, the same can’t be said for his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, who continues to struggle.
And because this is his home race, Checo will have all eyes on him as he tries to maximise his home advantage in the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Will Sergio Perez shake his doldrums this weekend? Continue reading below for the latest Mexican Grand Prix 2024 updates.
Consistency is the key for Ferrari
Neither Charles Leclerc nor Carlos Sainz Jr. are expected to win the drivers’ championship, so instead, their full focus is winning the constructors’ championship this season, and they’re on their way.
Following their one-two finish in the US Grand Prix, with Leclerc taking P1 and Sainz getting P2, Ferrari now only trail by eight points behind Red Bull and 48 points behind McLaren.
Ferrari have built momentum in the past few races, as Charles Leclerc won two of the last four in Monza and last week in Austin, Texas. And save for his P18 finish in Baku, Sainz has been in the Top 5 in three of his last five outings.
It also helped the Scuderia that Max Verstappen’s drought is still ongoing, while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to get on the podium last weekend.
Experts believe that Ferrari’s “secret” front wing upgrade to their SF-24 gave them the edge at COTA since the car had more flexibility and balance.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur didn’t elaborate too much about it, but he said that they’ve put an emphasis on maximising their car in every way they can given the fine margins of this season’s constructors’ title.
Ferrari has a decent history in Mexico, especially since Charles Leclerc took pole position here last year. One can argue that Leclerc could’ve won the race if it weren’t for his Lap 1 collision with Checo.
Perez badly need some home cooking
The 2024 Formula 1 season has been a tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for Sergio Perez. After compiling 103 points in the first six races, Checo has scored just 47 points since the Miami Grand Prix.
The last time Sergio Perez won a podium spot was in the Chinese Grand Prix, although he has mostly been in the points territory. He barely made it in Singapore with a P10 finish and improved to P7 in Austin, Texas.
Sergio Perez will be cheered on by his home fans this weekend, but that comes with high expectations. As mentioned, Checo crashed out of last year’s race after an unfortunate incident with Carlos Sainz Jr.
If he could replicate his form in Baku up until his crash with Sainz (again), that would certainly give a huge boost to Red Bull’s hopes of winning the third straight constructors’ championship.
History
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez has been a happy hunting ground for Red Bull because they’ve won five of the last six Grands Prix there.
Max Verstappen is the winningest driver on this track with six, including last year (his 16th race win at the time). Of course, the Dutchman managed to win his third consecutive drivers’ championship after yet another dominant season in 2023.
Lewis Hamilton is the only active driver who has won at least twice in Mexico after winning it for the Silver Arrows in 2016 and 2019.
What are the odds?
The SBOTOP Mexican Grand Prix 2024 odds have Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc fighting tooth and nail for the chequered flag this Sunday, as they are priced to win at 3.20. Max Verstappen is right behind them for the third podium spot at 4.50.
Another one-two finish for the Scuderia is unlikely to happen again anytime soon. Carlos Sainz Jr. and Oscar Piastri have a shot at joining their teammates on the podium at 7.00 and 10.00, respectively, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are the distant challengers at 19.00 and 23.00. As far as Sergio Perez is concerned, a P7 or a P8 finish is the most realistic bet for him because he is pegged at 41.00 to win the race.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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