On Sunday, October 28, 2018, at the Hermanos Rodríguez Autodrome in Mexico City, the Mexican Grand Prix will take place, representing the nineteenth race of the Formula 1 World Championship. Following his success in Austin, USA, Kimi Räikkönen arrives in Mexico City with the aim of securing another victory in the current World Championship, which is likely to end with Lewis Hamilton clinching his fifth title. For the Briton, who celebrated the title under the sombrero last year, a seventh-place finish will be sufficient to equal Juan Manuel Fangio's record. However, he still faces a challenging race. Räikkönen, who returned to victory after five years, will attempt to make Ferrari regret their decision to end their partnership at the end of the season.
"It was a great result, obviously, and it was a good race. I had to fight to achieve the result; it wasn't an easy win, but it's positive for us and I think for everyone. It was an exciting race, what else can I say? We were very happy; hopefully, we can be very strong again this weekend. We'll see the result on Sunday, but for sure, we'll do our best".
His victory in the United States Grand Prix was enthusiastically received both in his homeland and among the many fans scattered worldwide. Numerous congratulations were extended to him, but the overall excitement did not shake the Finnish driver.
"Well, I haven't looked too much, honestly. I can say I'm happy if people were happy for my victory, but the main thing is that I feel good doing what I do. The rest is something extra, which is still positive. It was great to win; it doesn't happen often to have such significant sporting joys in Finland, and when it does, we welcome them gladly. But as I said, I don't know exactly who congratulated me. Not many people have my number, so I haven't had direct contact, and I don't read what is written on the internet very often. I'm more than happy and welcome all the compliments and good wishes, but now we look ahead and see what we can do".
Raikkonen's experience with Ferrari is coming to an end, and this season is undoubtedly the best of his second stint in Maranello.
"I don't know; the season is still ongoing, and I don't see the point in looking back at what happened. I can't change anything; obviously, the final result is not what we wanted, but we did our best, and we will probably finish third or fourth in the Drivers' Championship (referring to the Drivers' Championship, editor's note). The result we will achieve will certainly not be ideal, but it could have been worse".
In the Mexican Grand Prix, Ferrari hopes to achieve success in a race that has had three different winners in the last three editions:
"Surely, as a team, we will do our best, but we can't guarantee anything at the moment. We will work normally from Friday, and then come Sunday, in the race, we'll see what we can pull off. We'll do our best to try to be up there fighting for the victory".
Regarding the close competition seen, especially in the last two editions at the Hermanos Rodriguez Autodrome, Raikkonen adds:
"If we look at the past years, all three teams have been up there fighting, and who prevails in the end really depends on small details. But it's impossible and pointless to guess now who will be ahead or if one team will be better than the others. We don't know. But if we look at previous races, we can see how it might go. I don't know if things will be easier for us because of Hamilton's situation: he needs only a few points to get the title, but who knows...".
Sebastian Vettel is expected to make a strong comeback after finishing fourth in Austin:
"We approach this weekend well; we won the last race, and it was an important result for the team after the difficulties of the last races. Overall, the mood is good, and we've made progress, which is good. Our primary goal is to win the next races, and I think we know what we need to do to fight. However, it's clear that it doesn't depend solely on us. We have to look ahead, and I think it's very important that we've started to understand what maybe wasn't working in the previous races. So, I believe it was necessary to take a step back and study these points. Obviously, the last few days have been important and have helped us make things clearer. The Mexican track is very particular due to the altitude, which makes the air thinner. The approach to this circuit is very simple and clear: everyone tries to put as much downforce as possible on the car, so we'll see what happens. Certainly, this year we've been more competitive on straights compared to last year, so we hope to be the fastest again this time".
In the United States, the four-time champion was also involved in a first-lap contact with Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull, forcing him to climb back through the field and abandon hopes of victory in Austin. The German faces his difficult moment honestly and says:
"Maybe I should have tried to pass Ricciardo on the outside! No, seriously, as a driver, you always want to have the inside. The closer you get to your opponent, the less aerodynamic load you have. My spins were a bit strange because in each of the last three incidents, I didn't do anything crazy. I didn't enter the corner at an excessive speed; if I had been alone, I would have taken the corner fairly normally. There wasn't much I could do differently; it's as if there's a kind of hole or lack of load when you find yourself on the inside".
Vettel reiterates that he didn't make any daring maneuvers:
"From the cockpit perspective, it's always a bit different. And it's natural that everyone can have a different opinion on what happened. But I want to say that I didn't do anything stupid, and as far as I'm concerned, it happened a bit too often".
The German also addresses the difficulties Ferrari faced with the car updates:
"We have to look ahead; it's important to understand what didn't work. The step back to the previous aerodynamic configuration has already given us some answers. In the last days and weeks, we've worked hard to understand better and draw the right conclusions for 2019. We're studying and working on it, although we haven't understood everything yet".
Sebastian Vettel is aware that Lewis Hamilton only needs a seventh-place finish to become World Champion for the fifth time:
"I know there's still a chance, but at the same time, I'm only focused on winning individual races. The numbers are clear, and the destiny of the championship doesn't depend on us".
However, to win, one will also have to contend with Red Bull, which won on the Rodriguez circuit last year with Max Verstappen. The Dutchman admits without hesitation that he has a great opportunity to aim for victory.
"Surely, this is the best opportunity for us. We'll try to set up the car in the best way possible, and then we'll see what our performance will be. I don't think we'll have an opportunity in qualifying, but in the race, in any case, we seem to be doing much better, and I expect to do even better than in Austin. Due to the altitude, the difference between the engines is smaller, and mechanical grip makes a difference, and this could help us. Winning the race last year doesn't change my approach".
Lewis Hamilton could settle for a finish in the top seven to mathematically clinch the World Championship, but Red Bull's Max Verstappen doesn't believe that this scenario will give him an advantage:
"Every driver wants to win; it doesn't change much".
Reflecting on the race in Austin four days earlier, Verstappen expressed surprise at his second-place finish:
"I don't want to consider it the best race of my career, even though it was great. The best thing was scoring so many points, starting from so far back. I didn't expect to fight for the podium, but as happened in the past, we are competitive in the race. The strategy was optimal, and finding myself at the end of the race fighting for the victory was very nice. Holding onto the second place in the last laps was challenging but a lot of fun".
Verstappen also looks ahead to 2019: Christian Horner explained in Austin that the Honda engine was 0.6s faster than the Renault. The prospects for Red Bull seem promising, but Verstappen wants to stay calm:
"It's obviously difficult to say now because we still have to develop the car. We'll find out next year. Initially, I don't think we may be strong enough to fight for the victory, but over the season, I believe we'll improve, that's the plan. We'll definitely work in that direction".
Despite starting from pole position in the United States Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton had to make two pit stops due to excessive tire wear, evident from the blistering on his tires during the race. The second pit stop compromised his chances of victory, and he couldn't secure the title in the United States. In the days following, Mercedes sought answers to the issues in Texas, and Hamilton confirms upon arriving in the Mexico City paddock:
"We discovered a balancing problem. A load that pressed on the front right and rear left wheels 50 kg more than the other two. The car didn't turn in left corners. The car was really strange; I felt a kind of headwind or something like that only in some parts of the track, like Turn 19, while in right corners, it was a bit better".
However, Hamilton turns the page and knows well that a seventh place could give him the championship on the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, as it happened in 2017:
"Last year, I didn't win the race, and when that happens, I'm never in a good mood, but I pocketed the championship: a pretty significant fact. Winning the first title is tough, repeating is even more difficult. Because it's true that I've grown as a driver, but the competition has also stepped up".
Hamilton denies that the statement made in the preceding days ("The World Championship is not won by making stupid mistakes") was referring to Sebastian Vettel:
"There was no reference to Sebastian. He had been penalized and had to attack and take risks. I could control, and even though it's not in my DNA, allow myself to maintain the position".
On Friday, October 26, 2018, during the first free practice session, the track was not very rubberized; this didn't prevent Max Verstappen from setting a time just 0.2s higher than the track record. The Dutchman led his Red Bull Racing teammate, Daniel Ricciardo (the only two drivers to break the 1:17 barrier), and the two Renaults; the French manufacturer placed four cars with its engine in the top four positions, although the Red Bull power units are labeled TAG Heuer. Mercedes and Ferrari seem less competitive, as both teams prefer to focus on gathering information for the race. Pierre Gasly, using a new Honda power unit, did not set valid times; however, an old unit, previously used in the previous race, was later reinstalled on his car. During the first free practice session, Nicholas Latifi replaced Esteban Ocon at Force India, Lando Norris replaced Fernando Alonso at McLaren, and Antonio Giovinazzi replaced Charles Leclerc at Sauber. Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, and Carlos Sainz Jr. confirmed their positions in the afternoon session. The Dutch driver again set the fastest time, distancing his teammate by 0.153s. Carlos Sainz Jr. was 1.2s behind the Dutchman. Red Bull was able to leverage its aerodynamic load, and the altitude of the Mexican track made the Renault engine less penalizing compared to Mercedes and Ferrari power units. Sebastian Vettel closed the practice with the fourth-best time, just 0.001s behind Carlos Sainz Jr.'s time, while Brendon Hartley stood out in sixth place, thanks in part to the new Honda Spec 3 power unit. The session ended prematurely for Max Verstappen, forced to abandon his car on the track due to a hydraulic issue. Nevertheless, it's not every Friday that the Dutch Red Bull driver closes both free practice sessions in the first position.
"Due to the high altitude here, we lose a lot of aerodynamic load. Even using a very loaded wing like Monaco, there is less load than if we were at Monza. In this aspect, we are very strong; we have a car with excellent load, and for this reason, this track suits us particularly well. Surely, it is our best opportunity to win in the last races".
In 2019, dominating from Friday is utopian for Red Bull, which will start its adventure with Honda as a power unit supplier.
"Red Bull and Honda? We'll try to be competitive to win the World Championship already next year, but we certainly want to be ready in 2020".
The Renault engine, as often happens, is the only big unknown for the Red Bull driver in a very promising weekend on the track where he triumphed twelve months ago:
"I still don't know what the problem we had is because the car hasn't returned yet, but we think it's a hydraulic problem. Today went well even though we didn't go as well as we could have in the qualifying simulation. The engine then didn't behave as it should; there were many strange noises, so this didn't allow me to push as I wanted. I hope to fight for the pole with Mercedes and Ferrari; at the moment, it seems to go well for us, but the mechanics will still have to work in the pits to fix the car".
Verstappen explains the issue that forced him to stop at the end of FP2. However, Red Bull has already communicated that there should be no problems triggering grid penalties. Helmut Marko is very confident:
"We're not surprised; Verstappen won here last year. Thanks to the altitude, the power difference is not the same as in a normal circuit. I was only surprised by Ferrari's negative performance, but the rest is normal. I'm sure Mercedes will bounce back, but we can't say we're surprised by our performance. As I said before, here the engine difference is not so relevant, so you see how things could go with similar performance engines. Maintain this level throughout the weekend? Yes, we believe it".
Daniel Ricciardo finished second both in the morning and in the afternoon, setting his best lap time 0.153s behind Max Verstappen, completing a total of 51 laps. However, the Australian is not getting carried away in anticipation of qualifying:
"I'm sure Ferrari and Mercedes will come back strong on Saturday. We just have to wait, even though I hope they don't. But it's strange to be ahead of them by half a second. It will be a tight fight for pole position, and I think it will be very exciting. If everything remains unchanged, it will be a fight between me and Max, but I'm not naive".
The Australian driver, however, is dissatisfied with the performance of the RB14 with a full fuel load and believes that there is still room for improvement in race pace:
"I believe that we can still improve; the car was not entirely right. I was happy with the performance with a low fuel load, while we were all closer in terms of race pace".
Ferrari and Mercedes, on the other hand, seemed to struggle, being surpassed even by Renault. Sebastian Vettel slightly improved in the afternoon, securing the fourth position but still distant from Max Verstappen's time.
"Today it was difficult to get the car to work the way we wanted. In the morning, comparing various setups was interesting, while in the afternoon, we focused more on qualifying and race simulations. The race simulation wasn't bad, but in a single lap, we had a bit more difficulty finding the right balance and squeezing the tires to the maximum".
Vettel then details the problems faced by many drivers today:
"The difficulty is that there is a lack of grip, and there is a lot of sliding. The lack of aerodynamic load doesn't allow the tires to work well, and when the tires don't work, everything becomes complicated. That's why there are such large time gaps, and lap times are so inconsistent. That's the main work to be done by tomorrow because in qualifying, you do a single lap, and even with the Hypersoft, it might be a bit easier, but it's difficult to maintain a clean balance until the end of the lap".
Looking ahead to qualifying, the Ferrari driver believes that everyone still has untapped potential and identifies tires as the key to tomorrow's result:
"Everyone still has something in reserve. We tried to do our best, but the key will be the tires. If you have a few more horsepower on the straight, it's not so important. It becomes crucial instead to bring the tires into the right window because here you can gain several tenths in a lap in this aspect".
Normally, it's Mercedes that inflicts a one-second gap on Red Bull on Fridays. In Mexico, however, the opposite happened, with Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo significantly faster than Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Regarding this, the British driver says:
"The car was good in some sectors but struggled in others. There are different aspects we can and must improve; the high temperatures have put a strain on the tires, with the compounds showing graining after a few laps. Even with maximum aerodynamic load and Hypersoft tires, grip is almost nil. We are on par with Ferrari, but at the moment, Red Bull seems unreachable. We want to try to win, so hard work awaits us".
Valtteri Bottas confirms the points expressed by his teammate:
"It was a difficult day; we struggled with pace, and the tires will be really difficult to manage judging by the degradation we encountered in these first two free practice sessions. At the moment, we don't have a clear answer for all these problems; we only know that the car was sliding a lot. I'm sure, though, that we will find the right solutions and be competitive".
On Saturday, October 27, 2018, during the third and final practice session, Max Verstappen set the fastest time. For the first half-hour, no driver set valid times as the track was still damp from overnight rain. The Dutchman led, less than 0.2s ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. Red Bull's driver, who was also hampered by a battery problem, set a new track record in Mexico. The other Red Bull driver, Daniel Ricciardo, finished more than 0.7s behind Max Verstappen, securing the fourth-best time. Valtteri Bottas completed few laps before being forced to stop due to a hydraulic issue. At the end of the free practice, Mercedes had to replace the power unit on the Finnish driver's car, who wouldn't be penalized and could reuse the one used in the Austin race. A few hours later, during Q1, Sebastian Vettel immediately beat the track record, clocking a time of 1'16"089; Kimi Räikkönen and the two Mercedes drivers followed. Shortly after, however, Daniel Ricciardo set a time below 1'16"0, and Max Verstappen even managed to clock a better time than the Australian driver. Kimi Räikkönen went off the track, while Nico Hülkenberg interposed between the two Mercedes. Later, Fernando Alonso's time was canceled for exceeding track limits at Turn 11.
The two Mercedes drivers climbed the rankings, with Valtteri Bottas taking the lead, preceding Lewis Hamilton by 0.1s. At the end of the session, Romain Grosjean, Stoffel Vandoorne, Kevin Magnussen, and the Williams of Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin were eliminated. In Q2, Valtteri Bottas set the reference time, later beaten by Lewis Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel, with Kimi Räikkönen fourth, interposed between the two Renault drivers. Shortly after, Max Verstappen set the best time with 1'15"640. Daniel Ricciardo recorded the fourth-best time. Brendon Hartley was the first of the eliminated, while Fernando Alonso set the fourteenth-best time. The two Force India drivers, Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon, recorded the twelfth and thirteenth best times. In the final part of the session, Esteban Ocon tried to complete a lap with Ultrasoft tires but did not set a time sufficient for a top-ten qualification. Alongside the Frenchman, Fernando Alonso, Sergio Pérez, Brendon Hartley, and Pierre Gasly were also eliminated. In the decisive phase, Kimi Räikkönen immediately set a time of 1'15"330, later beaten by his teammate Sebastian Vettel; Lewis Hamilton interposed between the two, while Valtteri Bottas was fourth. Max Verstappen, after an excellent last sector, set the best time at 1'14"785, while Daniel Ricciardo recorded the third-best time. The Australian, however, in the last attempt, managed to set the best time, securing his third career pole position, while Lewis Hamilton set the third-best time.
"I knew I had the potential to do such a lap. We didn't have clean free practices, but I knew that by putting together a good lap, I could do it. I wasn't sure I had made a perfect lap, but then I heard that I was on pole, and I could relax. I'm absolutely thrilled right now. This is the first pole outside Monaco, and that makes it even more special. Achieving it here is special; I thought it was done for Max, but in the end, I managed it by a few thousandths, and that's beautiful for the team. I don't know when was the last Red Bull front row, but I think it's been a while".
Max Verstappen is the youngest Grand Prix winner in F1 history. However, the Dutch driver, in his already brilliant F1 career, has never achieved a pole position. In Mexico, he had great chances, but Daniel Ricciardo might have taken another small but significant revenge against the one who ousted him from the Red Bull project. The Australian beat Verstappen by 0.026s in the qualifying session in Mexico. Now, Verstappen still has the qualifying sessions in Interlagos and Abu Dhabi, where Red Bull is unlikely to be the dominant car as in Mexico. If Max fails to secure pole position in Brazil and the UAE, Sebastian Vettel can breathe a sigh of relief.
Anyway, regarding the Mexican Grand Prix, in three editions since its return to the F1 calendar, this race has always provided starts full of contacts and controversies. The memory of what happened in recent editions - involving Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen - is on the minds of all drivers, emphasizing the importance of coming through the first braking zone unscathed. Adding further complexity will be the starting order, with the two Red Bulls providing a tow to Mercedes and Ferrari, much faster on the straights. The braking point in turn 1 could be the decisive moment to pass the two RB14s, appearing as the cars to beat on the Mexican circuit. Sebastian Vettel, who will start from the fourth position, emphasizes this point:
"We have good straight-line speed, so we'll see what we can do in turn 1 and go from there".
At the altitude of 2240 meters in Mexico City, four drivers competed for the pole position within hundredths of a second. Sebastian Vettel, second after the first attempt in the decisive Q3, failed to improve in the last attempt, slipping to fourth place. A result that doesn't leave the Ferrari driver too dissatisfied:
"The Red Bulls? They made the difference in the turns. I'm quite happy; it was a good session. The car was good, and we were very close. I was happy with my first attempt, while in the second, I knew I had to try something more because the Red Bulls were quite faster, but unfortunately, I couldn't do it".
Vettel analyzes the situation, focusing on the tires:
"We've seen that we were quite fast throughout the weekend on straights, while we lack aerodynamic load in turns, but we'll see what we can do tomorrow. Slipstream at the start? Yes, maybe. As I said, we have a higher speed than others on the straight, so it might help us. We'll see; afterward, everything will be decided by the tires, in my opinion".
Kimi Raikkonen didn't go beyond sixth place in the Mexican Grand Prix qualifying, but the winner of the United States Grand Prix is not particularly disappointed with the result.
"This morning we did much better than yesterday. At times I did well, but I couldn't put together a perfect lap, and this is the end result. We had some issues; Vettel made some mistakes. These are small incidents that, from the outside, seem much more significant, minor details that, however, are exaggerated when running in the team we are in. If you do the same things in another team, it's not considered a tragedy like in Ferrari; judgments are stricter. We all made some mistakes".
Lewis Hamilton scared the Red Bulls in qualifying, but the W09 this time couldn't match the great aerodynamic load of the RB14. The British driver had to settle for the third position, once again ahead of Sebastian Vettel.
"It was a good day for us considering how negative our Friday was, so I want to thank everyone who worked at the factory and at the circuit overnight to fix the problems we had and bring the car back to perfect condition".
Congratulations to Daniel Ricciardo were also in order:
"Congratulations to Daniel; he and Max were really too fast. The Red Bulls were in a different category in general, both before qualifying and in qualifying. Just look at their middle sector; there was really no way to catch them. Coming so close to them makes me happy, and starting third is not bad at all".
However, looking ahead to the race, Lewis Hamilton is not getting his hopes up:
"I think the Red Bulls have a superior pace to ours. I don't know why, but our engine doesn't work so well here, and they can close the gap with the aerodynamic load they can exploit. The race pace yesterday wasn't too bad, but I have to say that in T2, they were really in another category even in the long run and consume less tires than us precisely because they can generate more load on the rear. I hope to improve and give them a hard time; I'll try to stay out of trouble at the start tomorrow".
The goal is the victory of the fifth world title, but Hamilton wouldn't want to celebrate with a dull seventh place as it happened a year earlier when he finished the race in ninth place:
"Last year I didn't have a good race here, and I hope to do better. This is a great circuit to race on, a great location, and overtaking is not easy, but the strategies are similar, and we'll see how things develop. It will be interesting. Everyone will arrive at turn 1 trying to gain positions, so it's a very, very thin line. If you stay cautious, you risk getting hit. If you're too aggressive, you risk hitting or getting hit, so you have to go as always and try to win: that's what I'll do. I mean... that's why we're here: to race".
On Sunday, October 28, 2018, at the start of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton, starting from the second row, manages to pass both Red Bull Racing cars. However, at the first corner, Max Verstappen manages to pass the British driver, taking the lead. Sebastian Vettel follows, ahead of Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Kimi Räikkönen. Esteban Ocon is forced to make a pit stop to change the nose; Fernando Alonso is forced to abandon the race after debris from Esteban Ocon's car hits his monoposto. Kimi Räikkönen passes Carlos Sainz Jr. during the second lap. The rest of the classification remains unchanged until lap 11 when both Mercedes drivers make their first pit stop, both switching to Supersoft tires. Between laps 12 and 13, the two Red Bull drivers also stop at the pit, switching to Supersoft tires as well. Sebastian Vettel leads, followed by Daniel Räikkönen, who immediately gives up the second position to Max Verstappen. The Finn manages to resist for a couple more laps before being passed by both Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo. During the 17th lap, Sebastian Vettel also makes his pit stop, fitting Supersoft tires. After Kimi Räikkönen completes his pit stop, the classification sees Max Verstappen in the lead, followed by Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, Kimi Räikkönen, and Sergio Pérez. Later, Vettel approaches Ricciardo, taking advantage of many lapped cars. During the 30th lap, the Virtual Safety Car regime is established because of the need to move Carlos Sainz Jr.'s Renault, stopped inside the stadium area. During the 33rd lap, after the race returns to its competitive nature, Sebastian Vettel passes Daniel Ricciardo, climbing to third place. The German driver gains second place during the 38th lap when he also passes Lewis Hamilton, struggling with the tires, as is Daniel Ricciardo. During the 40th lap, Sergio Pérez retires due to a technical problem, while during the 44th lap, Daniel Ricciardo passes Lewis Hamilton, who also goes off track at the first braking point. A lap later, Sebastian Vettel makes a pit stop for the second time, fitting Ultrasoft tires, while Lewis Hamilton also makes a stop, choosing the same tires. Now Sebastian Vettel is third, while the British driver is sixth, behind Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Räikkönen. The Ferrari driver passes the compatriot, who makes a mistake at the first corner during braking, similar to the one made by Lewis Hamilton in the previous lap. During the 48th lap, Max Verstappen and Bottas also stop at the pit to make their second stop.
The Dutchman remains in the lead of the Grand Prix, while Bottas is passed by Hamilton for fifth place. Vettel puts pressure on Ricciardo, who has not made the second stop but has managed to clean the tires from graining. The Australian's race ends during the 61st lap due to a technical problem. Now Sebastian Vettel is second, ahead of his teammate Kimi Räikkönen. The race direction establishes the Virtual Safety Car regime on the track again due to the oil that Ricciardo's car has deposited along the track. Valtteri Bottas makes another pit stop but remains in fifth place, with a lap advantage over Nico Hülkenberg. At the restart, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo's teammate, expresses concern in communications with the pit about the situation of his Red Bull but continues to set very fast times. Max Verstappen wins the Mexican Grand Prix, finishing ahead of the two Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen. Lewis Hamilton, who risked being lapped in the last laps, celebrates the fifth World Championship with a fourth-place finish.
"It's a very strange feeling that I have right now. But first of all, I want to say thank you to all the fans present, who make the Mexican Grand Prix special. Secondly, I want to thank my team. On the radio, I said that I didn't win the championship here, but thanks to their hard work in many races. I want to thank those who worked at the factory and our partners and Mercedes, of course. I've been here since 2013, and equaling what Fangio did is an incredible feeling. Truly surreal. It was a horrible race. I had a great start and was gaining positions, but then I don't know what happened. I struggled a lot, but I tried to hang on and bring the car to the finish line. I'm really grateful to have made it today. I want to thank my family at home".
Asserting oneself is difficult, confirming it is even more so. Doing it four times is phenomenal. The race at the Mexico City circuit, like in 2017, was not memorable, but the pride for a championship won with great sweat obviously surpasses the disappointment of a difficult race:
"A horrible race, but I have indescribable feelings. I've been with Mercedes since I was 13, and adding this title is huge. Especially thinking of Fangio, also a Mercedes man. This year, I had the best races of my career. And I feel a lot of satisfaction because after last year's great season, I sat down to reflect on what I could do to improve further. I didn't have the fastest car in most races. But in the end, I won thanks to the hard work with the team".
Lewis Hamilton has won another challenge against Sebastian Vettel in 2018, closing the battle in Mexico with two races to spare, just like last season. The impression, however, is that 2018 was much more fought than the previous championship, a sentiment confirmed by the five-time champion himself, who emphasized that he had the best races of his career this year. At the end of the Mexican Grand Prix, the two contenders had a heartfelt exchange captured by cameras. Hamilton acknowledges the difficulty for Vettel in bearing the honors and burdens of being a Ferrari driver.
"Seb has won four titles deservedly; this year, he went through tough times because carrying the pressure of a Ferrari that hasn't won the World Championship for a long time is really tough, but in Mexico, he came back strong. So, in 2019, I won't let my guard down".
In 2016, Nico Rosberg won the title but didn't grant Hamilton a rematch, announcing his retirement from F1 a few weeks after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Vettel doesn't have to worry; Hamilton will surely honor the contract that ties him to Mercedes until 2020:
"Reaching Fangio is an honor. Michael Schumacher is still far away in terms of victories and titles, although I could get closer in the coming years. I feel that I am still racing with the sacred fire I had as a child. And I will continue as long as there is this passion".
When David Coulthard asks Sebastian Vettel at which moment he lost the chance to win the 2018 World Championship, the German evades the question from the former Scottish driver, preferring to turn to Lewis Hamilton. Vettel extends his hand to his rival, offering him deserved congratulations for the title just won. They embrace and talk for a moment, under the watchful eyes of cameras and photographers. Later, the British driver pats the Ferrari driver on the chest before greeting the cheering crowd in the Hermanos Rodriguez stands. Asked by journalists in the paddock, Vettel and Hamilton explain what they said to each other in those moments.
"I congratulated him; I think he drove superbly throughout the season and was the best among us two. So, I told him that he deserved it, and to enjoy it because reaching five titles is something incredible. Mainly, I congratulated him, then I asked him to keep pushing next year because I need him to be at his best to fight against him again".
And Lewis Hamilton confirms:
"Sebastian came to me, and one of the things he said was: Don't give up. I need to fight against you next season. And that's something I respect. And I just thanked him for being such a strong rival in this championship. It all happened quickly, and I don't remember every detail perfectly, but it was a sincere demonstration of great sportsmanship and respect between us, which I believe has been there throughout the World Championship. I think it's great to have world champions on the grid with multiple titles and two rivals who battled head-to-head. It was a tough season. Sebastian fought hard, and today he drove fantastically".
If we think about the key moments in Sebastian Vettel's season, the first two that come to mind for practically everyone in the field are the off-track excursion in Hockenheim and the spin in the first lap at Monza. Two incidents that not only cost the German driver a considerable number of points but also allowed Lewis Hamilton to win two Grand Prix races that seemed out of his reach after qualifying. Two reversals of the situation that inevitably had a significant impact on the psyche of the two title rivals in 2018. However, Sebastian Vettel identifies another key moment in his season:
"None of those two, actually. For me, it was more Singapore. From Singapore onwards, we didn't have the pace to stay with Mercedes for a couple of races, and then, of course, other things happened that didn't help: we couldn't score points because of the mistakes we made, the mistakes I made. That didn't help".
He adds:
"I can't be too hard on myself for what happened in Germany. I made much bigger mistakes this year, but obviously, that was the most costly. Unfortunately, it's part of racing; when you push, sometimes you might be pushing a bit too much. I also chose the wrong turn, but anyway, it's too far back in time, and I'm not thinking about it too much. I consider it part of racing, and it happens to others too. So, seeing that we struggled (in Singapore, editor's note) only for the pace and speed was probably more important than this".
Vettel has clearly had to accept the unfavorable events this year, and he doesn't hide it, adding to the words said under the podium that it's a horrible moment.
"Because I put in so much effort and work, and even if you see that defeat is about to come, you count on the math as long as you can. In my life, I've experienced this kind of disappointment three times, and the moment you realize that you can't win the title anymore is certainly not nice. You reflect on it for a moment and realize that you've worked for a whole year with great determination: from the end of the previous season until today. We had our chances, and we exploited most of them, but some not. And in the end, we weren't good enough".
Speaking of his race, culminating in the second place behind the unattainable Max Verstappen, the German adds:
"At the beginning, I couldn't keep my pace because in the first laps, I was in the traffic of the group, so it was very difficult. Then I managed a bit, and we tried to go longer for the first stop, and this choice rewarded us. It gave us an advantage in the second stint. I was a bit surprised when the others stopped and saw how much degradation they had. For me, it wasn't so much of a problem, maybe because I saved more at the beginning. After that, we had a good pace, and at the end of the first stint, we were even a bit faster than Max. In the second stint, obviously, we had a different goal and also had to pass two cars, which we managed to do. From there on, there wasn't much I could do because Max was far away".
For Vettel, it's a terrible déjà-vu from 2017 when the championship dream faded away, as it did this year in the races following the summer break, with mathematics favoring Hamilton again in Mexico. The German can't say which of the two disappointments is worse, but he doesn't hide his particular current state of mind:
"I don't know (which of the two is worse, editor's note). I don't like to lose; I'm not here to lose. I don't know; today, I'm empty. I don't know what to say. This year has been tough for us, for me as well. Different from last year, but I think we have a lot to improve for the future. Now I'm empty inside, but I thank the whole team, the fans, the people in Maranello. Promising something is always difficult, but I can promise that I will always go 100% and do the best I can. Was I more prepared to lose the title compared to last year? No. You can't prepare for this moment; I'm certainly disappointed, but today is not my day. Today is Lewis's day. This year he was stronger than me, stronger than us".
Lost the title but mathematically secured second place, Vettel in the final two races can still find some motivation by thinking about the Constructors' Championship, where a struggling Mercedes in tire management still has a 55-point margin:
"For us and for me, it's important. Today it's difficult for me to answer, but yes, in these last two races, I can still drive the Ferrari, the car of my dreams, and we will try in every way to finish ahead of Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship".
As it happened in Austin, Mercedes struggled with tire management, affecting the final result at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished fourth and fifth, with the Englishman 78 seconds behind the leader Max Verstappen, and the Finn bitterly lapped. However, Mercedes can celebrate Lewis Hamilton's fifth world title, the fifth consecutive title for the team. The difficulties of the Anglo-German cars cannot be dissociated from the decision to block the perforated rims, at the center of a regulatory dispute with the Federation. Toto Wolff wanted to give credit to his driver at the end of the race:
"This year Lewis has truly been the dominant driver; this title puts him among the three who have won the most championships. He deserves to celebrate and aim for another world championship. It's a fantastic title, and I'm very happy for Lewis and the team".
The Mercedes team principal then revealed that he didn't congratulate his driver at the end of the race:
"I didn't say anything on the radio to Lewis when he crossed the finish line because I was furious about the race. The Constructors' Championship is still open, and we need to put on a top performance in Brazil".
And he even expressed concern about the unsatisfactory performance put on in Mexico:
"It's a bittersweet feeling because we had a bad race, and we need to understand the reasons for it. Clearly, our thoughts are troubled by this performance, but we should be happy for the championship. I'm so angry about the course of the race; I need some time".
In contrast, James Allison congratulates Lewis Hamilton, praising his professionalism:
"This title means a lot to him; he was completely focused on the goal. He has won five titles, but the way he approaches every weekend seems like he hasn't won one yet. I'm sure that next year will be the same; he never settles".
Regarding the discussion about the perforated rims, Maurizio Arrivabene does not comment, choosing instead to congratulate Lewis Hamilton:
"The Mercedes rims? I won't talk about the others; they closed them in the last two races. I leave the judgment to you. Congratulations to Hamilton".
There is certainly understanding for Sebastian Vettel, too often a negative protagonist in this 2018 that could have had a different outcome for Ferrari:
"We need to stand by him in moments of downturn, not leave him alone. We must insist and put everything behind us".
Mercedes is 55 points behind in the Constructors' Championship standings; believing is mandatory:
"The Constructors' Championship is still open; we have recovered more points and won't give up until the end. At this point, it becomes a duty. We are compact, all focused, we go to Brazil, and then Abu Dhabi. We must never give up".
After all the controversies arising from the solution devised by Mercedes (taken from an old Red Bull idea from a few years ago) on the rear wheel rims, race director Charlie Whiting has decided to speak out, announcing the arrival of an FIA directive to end the controversies. Although Mercedes, having obtained approval from the Federation for the use of perforated rims for the Mexican Grand Prix, decided to return to the previous configuration to avoid possible formal complaints from Ferrari, the debate remained open. This prompted Whiting to clarify some concepts.
"Everyone knows that we consider them legal; it's not a secret. But we will issue a more general technical directive, to address the topic in general, not specifically. We want to make sure that someone doesn't come up with something slightly different or even quite different and try to do the same thing".
To reach the directive he mentioned earlier, Whiting explains that the FIA will rely on the Technical Working Group:
"Between now and Brazil, we have a Technical Working Group meeting during which we intend to develop a rule to be more general about cooling and the possible related effects on aerodynamics".
The Englishman also explains what led Mercedes not to use the new solution in Mexico:
"Mercedes was aware that Ferrari didn't agree with our interpretation, and given the slight antagonism between the two this year, they thought they could receive a formal protest. They believed that knowing we consider the solution legal wasn't enough; I think they wanted to be super sure. In any case, Ferrari can still protest; I don't really know why they haven't done it".
Finally, the race director specifies that there is no intention on the part of the FIA to ban the use of the Mercedes configuration:
"The stewards' decision refers to Mexico, so if it is used again in Brazil, it might be a problem. But I don't think there is a need [to ban it], provided it is clear that it was done for a reason, and if there is an accidental effect on the car's aerodynamics, it should be fine. There are many, many things that influence it, like suspensions or wheels. But their role is quite clear".
On the day Lewis Hamilton secures his fifth Formula 1 World Championship title, Max Verstappen celebrates his fifth career victory. As in 2017, Hamilton and Verstappen have different reasons to rejoice in Mexico City. Twelve months ago, the two found themselves side by side at the start at the first braking point down the long straight; today, the roles were reversed, with the Red Bull driver taking the lead despite Hamilton's strong start from the second row.
"It would have been nice to start from pole, but it wasn't necessary to win again this year. The race was good, the start was crucial, and then I could run my race. I'm very happy with the pace we had; we never received pressure from behind, and that's always a good feeling".
Verstappen shares his thoughts on the championship won by Lewis Hamilton:
"I don't know if he's the toughest driver to beat I've ever encountered; I've never been able to compete with him, so it's hard to say. Compared to Seb [Vettel], he [Hamilton] has been more consistent. They were the ones with the package to win the title; we didn't, so we never had the opportunity to interfere. Among them, Lewis has been more consistent".
Besides Sebastian Vettel, the other dissatisfied driver is undoubtedly Daniel Ricciardo, who, after securing pole position, had to retire due to mechanical issues.
"I have no words, really don't know what to say. Even for the start... All weekend, the practice starts went really well, and today was a disaster. This is unlucky. See you next year; I don't want to race the next two races".
It's hard to imagine the early resolution of Ricciardo's relationship with Red Bull Racing, but the Australian driver's impatience is now quite clear as he waits for the end of this season. In response to Ricciardo's comments, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner denies an early promotion for Pierre Gasly in the last two races of the season.
"Daniel is an emotional guy, and he suffered a rather frustrating moment in Mexico, I understand that. I hope this bad luck that has been haunting him fades away in the last two races of this season".
The battle for the World Drivers' Championship concludes in favor of Lewis Hamilton, who celebrates his fifth title. The fight for the Constructors' World Championship remains open, and unlike previous races, it is far from closed, as Mercedes has not shone in recent races, while Ferrari has managed to recover and get closer to the Anglo-German team in the standings.