In the dust of Mexico: Mercedes faster than Verstappen

The Finn Bottas was 0,076 seconds faster than world champion Hamilton on his best lap on the initially slippery track. Verstappen had to settle for third place, just behind. In the mountain air, Red Bull is considered the favorite, even though Hamilton won the last race two years ago. Five races before the end of the season, however, the pressure is increasing for both World Championship aspirants; any mistake could be decisive.

There is already speculation as to whether fairness could fall by the wayside in the sometimes overly tough title duel. “We have never won a World Championship this way, I have never won a World Championship this way,” insisted Hamilton. The Briton and Verstappen had collided several times this season. Both want to stay clean Above all, the full-throttle crash in Silverstone and the accident in Monza, when a Red Bull wheel crashed into Hamilton's cockpit, fueled the potential for trouble. “Like Lewis and everyone else, I will always drive hard, of course we try to stay clean,” said Verstappen. The World Cup leader rejected comparisons with previous hate duels such as those between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. “That is the past. “I don’t think about historic duels,” said the 24-year-old.

Hamilton also appeared to be a clean man before the Grand Prix in Mexico City on Sunday (20.00 p.m.). “I’m here to win the right way,” emphasized the seven-time world champion. “Even if you lose, you lose the right way.”

Max Verstappen has to take a back seat for the time being. © APA/afp / PEDRO PARDO

The defending champion is currently twelve points behind Verstappen. There is also more to be said for the Red Bull driver at the next race in Brazil. Finally, the premiere races in Qatar and Saudi Arabia as well as the finale in Abu Dhabi follow. Until then, Mercedes definitely wants to preserve its World Cup chances, emphasized team boss Toto Wolff.

And then maybe things could get dirty, like the Austrian did in the interview Daily Mail allowed to be seen. “If the scenario of the last race in Abu Dhabi happens and they race against each other for the title, whoever is in front will definitely try to do the same as in the Senna-Prost years,” said Wolff with Blick on the World Cup-decisive collisions between the Formula 1 legends.

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In the dust of Mexico: Mercedes faster than Verstappen

Title chaser Max Verstappen has not yet reached full speed on the dusty track in Mexico. The Mercedes duo Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton set the tone in the opening training session of Formula 1 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Friday.

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