During the Mexican Grand Prix, George Russell found himself engaged in a fierce battle for position, with a potential podium finish in sight. He was closely trailing Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, eagerly seeking an opportunity to overtake.
Spending 12 intense laps trying to pass the Ferrari, Russell grew increasingly frustrated and didn’t hesitate to express his displeasure over the team radio. He accused Sainz of a dangerous maneuver: moving under braking, a practice frowned upon in Formula 1 due to its potential to cause serious accidents. In response, the race stewards decided to intervene, instructing the teams to warn their drivers before taking further action if such behavior persisted.
Carlos Sainz, however, defended his actions, asserting that he had not violated the rules. He explained, “I was moving once and right before braking, which is within the rules. You cannot move under braking, but you can adjust your position right before braking, and that’s precisely what I did.”
Sainz believes that Russell’s complaint is a common tactic used by drivers when they find themselves behind their rivals. He suggested that it is often an attempt to provoke the stewards into penalizing their competitors for an advantage. He added, “It’s a common practice, almost everyone does it, and George does it frequently.”
While Ferrari held the front row in Mexico, with Charles Leclerc on pole, it was Max Verstappen who took the lead after the first turn, expertly maneuvering his Red Bull past both Sainz and Leclerc.
Sainz struggled to maintain pace during the race and eventually finished fourth. He acknowledged that Ferrari lacks the race pace required to challenge Red Bull, a consistent issue throughout the season. Sainz commented, “It’s been the same throughout the year. We can compete with them in qualifying, even outpace them, but when it comes to the race, we’re usually a few tenths behind, sometimes more, depending on the circuit. It’s the primary weakness of the car, and it’s where we are focusing for next year.”
Despite their challenges, Ferrari managed to outscore Mercedes at the Mexican Grand Prix, narrowing the gap to just 22 points in the battle for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
