Max Verstappen wins in Mexican Grand Prix after lengthy delay following Kevin Magnussen crash

Max Verstappen continued his Formula 1 dominance with victory at an interrupted Mexico Grand Prix.

The reigning world champion started third but immediately split the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz on the front row to claim the lead at lights out.

The race came to a lengthy stoppage following a big crash involving the Hass of Kevin Magnussen on Lap 34, leading to a red flag while barriers needed repairing.

As the race resumed, Verstappen was able to keep the chasing pack at arm's length from a standing restart and never looked back to secure a record-breaking 16th win of the season.

"It's been incredible," he said post-race. "We're experiencing an incredible season and again today as well. We had to start P3, but the pace of the car was very, very good.

"We tried to do a different strategy to everyone else, but, unfortunately, with the red flag we couldn't really show it. Nevertheless, on those hard tyres at the end, I think we were strong."

While Verstappen's race got off to a superb start, it was over before it really began for his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. Attempting an overtake round the outside, Perez sandwiched Leclerc with nowhere to go between himself and Verstappen. The pair made contact, resulting in Perez lifting and spinning out with significant damage to his car.

Verstappen was unaffected at the front and gradually checked out. The Ferrari duo remained as his first chasers but had Lewis Hamilton breathing down their necks.

While Leclerc managed to stay ahead, Hamilton claimed Sainz in the box. Mercedes opted for an earlier stop and Ferrari refused to answer the call, pitting a full six laps later.

Although Sainz rejoined the track behind Hamilton as a result, Ferrari's strategy held as they aimed to have superior tyres and with that the edge in the later stages. However, this was thrown into disarray when first the safety car, then the red flag came out on Lap 34.

A suspected suspension failure on his Haas sent Magnussen flying in dramatic fashion and with the barriers destroyed, the race came to a lengthy hold.

The drivers eventually returned to the track for a standing restart that did nothing to change the order. Verstappen held on to the lead with a flawless reaction while Leclerc kept Hamilton at bay.

While Verstappen was up and away, the fight for second was intensifying. Having stalked Leclerc for multiple laps, the persistent pressure finally paid off for Hamilton who pulled out of the slipstream and dived down the inside to make a move stick on Lap 40.

Once running in second, there was no stopping Hamilton who brought runner-up spot over the line. "It's a great result considering we started sixth," he said in parc ferme. "I'm really proud of the team; it's been a really difficult couple of weeks and to bounce back from a difficult weekend last weekend, this is really well done.

"I was thinking [the medium tyre] wasn't going to last, but I did some real sweet finesse."

Similarly, Leclerc drove a lonely race in third, having nothing to offer against the top duo but being way ahead of the rest of the pack.

"We struggled a bit with the hard tyre after the restart. Lewis was really good on the medium and then they managed to have a really good degradation. They were just better today," Leclerc admitted.

Asked about the incident on the opening lap he said: "I had nowhere to go; I was between the two Red Bulls and, unfortunately, I touched Checo [Perez]. It damaged my car and unfortunately it ended Checo's race, but it's life. I didn't do it on purpose and I had nowhere to go."

Sainz came home in fourth ahead of Lando Norris who had an incredible race from 17th on the grid. George Russell just brought sixth over the line, having had to defend hard from a reinvigorated Daniel Ricciardo.

Oscar Piastri was eighth from Alex Albon, while Esteban Ocon was the last point scorer in 10th.

Norris' previous record of positions made up in a race was nine. Today, he gained 12. A disastrous qualifying saw him start from P17, but there was no stopping the McLaren driver.

Even when a pit stop under the safety car, just before the red flag came out, went against him and he dropped positions at the restart, Norris only got faster as the race went on.

A beautiful overtake on Ricciardo on Lap 60 alone was worth a driver of the day award and another excellent move on Russell seven laps later only added to that. Overall, when the cards were stacked against him, Norris delivered an exhibition drive.

However, an honourable mention must go to Ricciardo. The Aussie drove his best race in a long time, starting from fourth and finishing seventh, P6 only half a second away in the end. The Alpha Tauri had no business being this high up, but an error-free performance from Ricciardo made a sensational result possible.

As Perez's Red Bull future is looking far from certain and a spot at the constructors' champions might be up for grabs, Ricciardo did a fabulous job of putting himself in the shop window .

1/71: EARLY DRAMA AS VERSTAPPEN TAKES LEAD, LECLERC SHOOTS PEREZ OUT - The Ferraris make a good start, but Verstappen makes a better one to pass down the run into Turn 1. Perez has an even better start, but his race is over before it could start properly as he makes contact with Leclerc trying to go round the outside, gets lifted and spins off-track.

15/71: VERSTAPPEN IN CONTROL - Verstappen can fully focus on any car maintenance here as he is way ahead of the field already.

20/71: VERSTAPPEN IN THE BOX - 'The tyres are giving out,' Verstappen says and Red Bull react by pitting him. They swap to a fresh set of hard tyres, likely aiming to go to the end with these.

25/71: UNDERCUT ATTEMPT FROM HAMILTON - Hamilton heads to the pits and swaps to the hard compound. Mercedes are likely aiming for an undercut on Sainz here.

26/71: OPTIMAL ONE-STOP FOR SAINZ - Sainz and Ferrari are going for an 'optimal one-stop' here, meaning in practice that they are not answering Hamilton's call for now.

34/71: RED FLAG - We have a red flag here as the stewards look at removing Magnussen's Haas and inspect the damaged barriers.

36/71: VERSTAPPEN HOLDS LEAD AT RESTART - No drama this time as Verstappen makes no mistake and holds the lead at the restart. Hamilton threatens Leclerc but can't make anything work on the Ferrari. Norris has missed out big time here, dropping into P14.

40/71: HAMILTON INTO SECOND - Persistent pressure wins for Hamilton who pulls out of the slipstream and dives down the inside to finally make a move on Leclerc stick.

50/71: VERSTAPPEN HAS IT ALL HIS OWN WAY - Some gaps have opened at the front, Verstappen leading by eight seconds over Hamilton who, in turn, is five clear of Leclerc.

60/71: NORRIS INTO P6 - Beautiful move from Norris who makes a manoeuvre round the outside stick to overtake Ricciardo and claim P6.

67/71: NORRIS INTO FIFTH - Russell gets ever so slightly out of shape and Norris doesn't need another invitation to go for a move and make it stick. Excellently done.

71/71: VERSTAPPEN WINS THE MEXICO GP - Verstappen takes the chequered flag to win the Mexico GP. Hamilton finishes runner-up ahead of Leclerc. Sainz is fourth from Norris who had an excellent drive today. Russell managed to hold Ricciardo at bay, half a second between them in the end.

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