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The 2024 F1 Mexican GP is the continuation of the last leg of the season. With 5 races left, this year has been far more interesting than what was earlier envisioned, and for a change, there is still all to play for in both championships.
The last race in Austin saw Charles Leclerc dominate and pick up his third win of the season. This time, we're going to Sergio Perez's hometown in Mexico.
With both championships at stake, there is a lot of anticipation around the weekend. So what can we expect from the race? Let's find out as we take a look at the preview and predictions for the F1 Mexican GP.
2024 F1 Mexican GP: Preview
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Key Storylines
#1 The pecking order
Could anyone have predicted a Ferrari surge to the top at Austin? Probably not. Could anyone have predicted the drop in performance from McLaren? Once again, probably not. The beauty of the 2024 F1 season lies in the fact that we head into every weekend without much of a clue as to where each team stands in terms of performance.
As we head into the F1 Mexican GP, there are some expected caveats, including issues with the altitude and the attrition that comes with it. With that being said, how the order among the top 4 sorts itself out is anybody's guess at this stage.
#2 Lando Norris' lack of confidence
There was one thing that was quite clear in the wheel-to-wheel battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. It is the mental block that Norris seemingly has in his head when it comes to his battles with the Red Bull driver.
Not only for 2024 but for the long term as well, Lando needs to find ways to get the better of this mental block because if he doesn't, it could have an impact on 2025 as well.
#3 What's going on at Mercedes?
A question that a lot of people are asking at this stage is what the hell is going on at Mercedes? The overall race management was questionable and at the same time, the lack of clarity on what makes the car work is palpable.
From Friday to Saturday, how the Mercedes' pace just vanished is anybody's guess right now and it does appear that neither the drivers nor the team has any clue on how they fix this.
Form Guide
On Form
Charles Leclerc has won two of the last 4 races. One could argue he could have won more had he been more vigilant in his defense in Baku. With that being said, it does appear that the Italian team has found the right balance with the car at almost all tracks.
The F1 Mexican GP is another opportunity for the team to put things together and pick up another win.
Out of form
One has to question what's going on at Mercedes since the summer break because the team is completely out of sorts at the moment. There's no clarity in terms of how good or bad the upgrades were.
The operational efficiency is also not on point and it cost the team at Austin. The team had a P2 finish at the F1 Mexican GP last time around and would be looking to put together something similar this time around as well.
2024 F1 Mexican GP: Predictions
Who will win the race?
It's going to be a battle for the win between Ferrari and McLaren by the looks of it. While the Woking-based squad has the edge in qualifying, the long runs are where the Maranello-based team excels. With that being said, we're backing Lando Norris to win this one.
Ferrari has been characteristically inconsistent, and it has become a theme for the team to not peak on a consistent basis. For McLaren, the advantage in qualifying could aid Lando Norris in his bid to pick up a win at the F1 Mexican GP.
Surprise of the weekend (Team)
Alpine's biggest handicap has been its power unit. The Renault power unit is just not up to the best standards in F1 right now, and that hurts the team. At the F1 Mexican GP, however, the higher altitude tends to negate the shortcomings, as has been the case in the last few years.
With that handicap out of the way and Pierre Gasly getting his hands on the upgrades, expect Alpine to contend for points this weekend.
Surprise of the weekend (Driver)
Keep an eye on Liam Lawson this weekend! Last season the team had a brilliant race at the F1 Mexican GP when Daniel Ricciardo turned back the clock and drove very close to the front in the AlphaTauri.
Lawson took some time to get used to the car, but once he found his feet, he was right on the pace. Expect a strong showing from the youngster as Sergio Perez's seat continues to be in contention.
Disappointment of the weekend (Team)
Aston Martin brought the most upgrades to the car at Austin, but if you look at where the car was during the race, it can only be described as disappointing.
Fernando Alonso is also losing patience with the car continuing to take a few steps back in the pecking order as the season continues.
Unfortunately, the F1 Mexican GP does not look to be much better for the team as other squads continue to surge ahead in the midfield.
Disappointment of the weekend (Driver)
The F1 Mexican GP is the home race for Sergio Perez. The Red Bull driver, however, has not had a great run at the track, as more often than not he's been outperformed by his teammate.
The F1 Mexican GP comes at a crucial moment in Perez's career. There's speculation around his future and it does appear that he's on the last legs when it comes to putting extracting whatever is left in him.
With the Red Bull's performance looking to have become a bit too much for the Mexican to handle, another disappointing weekend from Perez looks to be on the cards.
