Summary

  • Sainz wins, Norris 2nd, Leclerc 3rd

  • Verstappen penalised 20 seconds for battles with Norris

  • Verstappen had taken lead off line from Sainz

  • Verstappen finishes sixth

  • Tsunoda and Albon out after first lap crash; Alonso retires

  • Get involved #bbcf1

Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I think Oscar Piastri's fight could be with Lewis Hamilton come the end of this race potentially if he gets a move on. All of this fighting is losing the McLaren drivers' lap time.

  2. Lap 36/71

    Lewis Hamilton has pitted, and with fresher tyres than Oscar Piastri's starting mediums, the seven-time world champion is able to complete the overtake on the McLaren one lap later. Hamilton is fifth, Piastri drops back down to sixth.

  3. Lap 34/71

    Oscar Piastri is stuck in the middle of Liam Lawson and Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren needs to be aggressive to clear the two cars but he does manage to complete the task. Piastri is up to fifth, but is yet to pit.

  4. Team radio - Piastri

    "Mate think about pulling me out of this"

  5. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Charles Leclerc's hard compound tyres will be up to temperature and they will get through that shiny surface that you have on a new set of tyres. He doesn't want to over work them on this first lap or damage the surface either.

  6. Lap 33/71

    He didn't put up too much of fight. Carlos Sainz does as he's told and boxes for some hard tyres. He's thrown into the action ahead of the rest, leading his team-mate Charles Leclerc.

    George Russell, meanwhile, is questioning Mercedes as to why they brought him in? The Briton thinks he could've done a few laps more on his mediums.

    carlos sainz leads charles leclercGetty Images

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    Nulla Pax: Now, if Max can take the win - cleanly - from here, then he will be an F1 hero.

  8. Leclerc next to come in

    Lap 32/71

    Ferrari do a quick stop for Charles Leclerc and send the Monegasque driver back out in second place. George Russell makes a change in the Mercedes and goes down to sixth. Both drivers are now hard runners.

    Carlos Sainz is told to come in, but he Spaniard is reluctant...

  9. Norris comes in to pit

    Lap 31/71

    An easy move on Esteban Ocon lifts Max Verstappen up to 11th place. Lando Norris has boxed now and swaps mediums for the hards. The McLaren man rejoins the action in fourth spot.

    lando norrisGetty Images

  10. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    We haven't seen anything [between Leclerc and Sainz] but what we expect is something has happened, they've had a close encounter and either Charles Leclerc has been told to back off or there's actually been a bit of an issue between the pair and Leclerc is paying the price.

  11. Top five

    Lap 30/71

    1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

    2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

    3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

    4. George Russell (Mercedes)

    5. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

    carlos sainzReuters

  12. Lap 29/71

    Mercedes have called Lewis Hamilton in for a change of tyres. The seven-time world champion switches to the hards and is back out in P10. Max Verstappen has climbed to 13th, with Esteban Ocon just ahead.

  13. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I think there's going to be a lot of discussion with the stewards after this race and a lot of grumpy racing drivers. It's going to be a long evening for whoever is in charge of calling these outcomes this evening out in Mexico.

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    Andrew Priestley: With a 20-second penalty to serve, Max Verstappen is actually incentivised to make contact with Lando Norris if he attempts an overtaking move.

  15. Lap 28/71

    The pit stop for Max Verstappen has allowed Lando Norris to stretch his legs and go off in search of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Esteban Ocon, meanwhile, has passed Zhou Guanyu for P13.

  16. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I think he [Lando Norris] has realised that the Ferraris are up the road and if he wants to win this race and cause maximum damage to the championship lead because Max Verstappen has got this huge penalty coming, he needs to get a move on.

    The only problem is Max Verstappen is in the way so it's kind of difficult for Lando Norris at the moment.

  17. Verstappen pits

    Lap 27/71

    The pit stop is lasting an eternity for Max Verstappen, but soon enough the Dutchman is released and comes out in 15th place behind the Alpine of Esteban Ocon. These two have history, so hopefully any racing between the pair is clean.

    max verstappenGetty Images

  18. Team radio - Verstappen

    "My tyres are not holding on, this is bad."

  19. Lap 26/71

    No further action for the incident between Sergio Perez and Lance when the Aston Martin went off the track. Charles Leclerc is clocking consistent fastest laps, but it's Carlos Sainz who is controlling this race.

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    Roxy: 20 seconds for Max - best race ever!

    David Randall: Max Verstappen handed another 10 second penalty! It's about time his dangerous driving is penalised. He's gotten away with it for far too long