MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrated a dominant win in the Mexico City Grand Prix to surge 19 points clear of Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One championship with four races remaining.
Seven-times world champion Hamilton was second for Mercedes, holding off Red Bull’s Sergio Perez who became the first Mexican to stand on his home podium at a jubilant Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Red Bull closed the gap to champions Mercedes in the constructors’ standings to one point.
“It’s still a long way to go but it’s of course looking good, but also it can turn around very quickly,” said Verstappen, 24, of his big step forward in the championship battle.
Verstappen took the chequered flag 16.555 seconds clear of Hamilton to seal his ninth victory of the season, third in Mexico and 19th of his career.
The Dutchman seized the lead into the first corner from third on the grid, going three abreast with the two Mercedes and timing his braking to perfection, in what turned out to be the decisive moment of the race.