Race Report – It ain’t over till it’s over

F12016 Mexican GP Thursday Press Conference Friday Practice 1 Results Practice 1 Report Practice 2 Results Practice 2 Report Quotes Press Conference Photos Saturday Practice 3 Results Practice 3 Report Qualifying Results Qualifying Report Quotes Press Conference Photos Sunday Race Notes Race Results Race Incidents Race Report Quotes Press Conference Photos It ain’t over till it’s over

Hamilton, Rosberg, Verstappen, Mexican GP 2016 

 © Active Pictures

 

By Dan Knutson in Mexico City

“It ain’t over till it’s over,” was a favorite saying of New York Yankee legend Yogi Berra who passed away just over a year ago.

Championship contenders Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have much the same philosophy regarding their title fight. Hamilton won the Mexican Grand Prix and Rosberg finished second, with the result that Rosberg now has a 19 point lead with two races to go.

Hamilton has to go for wins in those races, and that’s his plan. Rosberg could wrap up his first world championship by finishing second even if Hamilton wins, but Rosberg’s plan is to take it one race at a time and go for the wins.

“All I can do is my best and hope things go as they have done for the past two weekends,” Hamilton said after his victories in the U.S. and Mexico. “History has shown that it’s never too late – that’s why I keep pushing and doing everything I can to repeat weekends like this. I hadn’t won here before so it’s a great feeling to do that in front of this incredible crowd.

“Now my sights are fully set on Brazil. I’ve never won there either – but if I can take this kind of performance into the next weekend I’ll be in a good position.”

Rosberg also has his sights set on the race in Brazil.

“Lewis was that little bit quicker today,” he said, “so I didn’t manage to achieve my goal and win here again. But being second is not too bad overall. Now I look forward to flying home after two long weeks and relaxing a bit with my family, ready to come back stronger in Brazil and go for the win there. I think the Interlagos track suits our car much better, so I’m looking forward to going there and seeing what we can do.”

Three different drivers finished third. First Max Verstappen (Red Bull), then Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and finally Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull). The first two received penalties for on-track infractions, and the final result was that Verstappen ended up fourth and Vettel fifth.

Hamilton started on pole for the tenth time this season. Rosberg had been off the pace in qualifying, but slammed in the second fastest time at the last moment. Red Bull’s Verstappen and Ricciardo filled the next row of the grid.

Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), Vettel, Valtteri Bottas (Williams), Felipe Massa (Williams) and Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso) filled out the top 10 starters. The Mercedes and Ferrari teammates were on Pirelli’s soft compound slicks while the rest of the top 10 had the super soft compound. The third Pirelli option was the medium compound.

A crowd of 135,026 was in hand to watch the 71 lap race that had important championship ramifications depending on what happened with Hamilton and Rosberg.

It is a long run down the straight to Turn 1 where Hamilton, who took the lead, ran wide.

“I had a good start – but it’s such a long way down to Turn 1 that everyone just got the tow on me,” Hamilton said. “The right front brake disc had glazed on the formation lap and I couldn’t un-glaze it. I thought it might be okay – but when I hit the brakes it just locked up as the temperature came up and I went flying across the grass. I was lucky to get across and rejoin on the other side of the track.

“I had a big flat spot – and I mean seriously big. I could barely see the end of each straight with the vibrations and I genuinely didn’t know if my suspension was going to last.”

Verstappen went on the inside of Rosberg, their cars collided, and Rosberg ran wide as well but nowhere near as far off the track as Hamilton.

“At the start I had a good getaway and thought I would be able to take the lead from Lewis when I saw he had a massive lock up and went straight through the grass,” Rosberg said. “Then, suddenly, Verstappen hit me heavily after he had a lock up too and forced me off the track. Luckily my car wasn’t damaged and it didn’t cost me a position.”

More action went on behind the leaders as Esteban Gutierrez (Haas) got into Pascal Wehrlein (Manor) who tangled with Marcus Ericsson (Sauber). Ericsson and was out of the race, and out came the Safety Car.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Wehrlein said. “It was heartbreaking, yes. We had a chance at a really strong race today and for that opportunity to be ripped away before we’d even begun was difficult to take. I got a …

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