Can Mercedes mount another challenge?

Mercedes enjoyed their strongest weekend of the year last time out at the United States Grand Prix as 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton fin🥃ished just two seconds behind race winner Verstappen.

While Hamilton’s day ultimately ended with a disqualification for a technical infringement, it w🌜as still a hugely positive afternoon for Mercedes.

Hamilton was buoyed by the imp💝act of the new floor which Mercedes introduced for the weekend in A﷽ustin as they look to learn ahead of next year.

A better strategy with tidier pit stops would have likely hand𝄹ed Hamilton his first victory - for a few🎀 hours at least - since the end of 2021.

No doubt, Hamilton is aಞ COTA specialist but Mercedes were clearly the second-quickest team, taking into consideration Verstappen’s pace was s⛎lightly hampered by a recurring brake issue.

Mercedes will be hopeful💧 for more of the same in Mexico, where they were able to run Red Bull fairly close last year꧑.

Hamilton was in contention for the ra♋ce victory at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez 12 months ea♌rlier - but again, a poor strategy choice to go medium-hard allowed Verstappen to take another comfortable victory.

The pecking ♚order behind Red Bull is often dif✅ficult to predict, especially with Ferrari’s fluctuating performance.

McLaren often fare best in high-speed, high-෴load corners, so on paper at least, are unlikely to be as fast as Mercedes or Ferrari.

Ferrari struggled in Mexico 𝔍last year because the high altitude put additional strain on their engines - could the same happen this year?

😼One thing is for certain is that Verstappen will be the man to beat at 🌠a venue he’s won four times at.

Without an unfortunate puncture in 2019, Verstappen probably would have five wins in Mexico to his n🙈ame.

Mercedes will probably be Red Bull’s nearest challenger again but it’s hard to🐷 look past Verstappen winning for a 51st time in F1.

Home soil pressure for Perez

The pressure continues to be on 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Sergio Perez to perform as he looks to ✃secure P2 in the championship ahead o♔f Hamilton.

P🍨erez strengthened his grip on the runners-꧅up spot behind Verstappen with his fourth-place finish in Austin.

He’s now 39 points ahead of Hamilton with just four rounds (and one sprint r𒀰ace𝔍 to go).

Astonishingly, if🧜 Perez is able to secure P2, it would be the firs🍎t time in Red Bull’s history they would see their drivers finish first and second in the championship.

Perez has finished on the podium just two times in the last seven races, and he’s not beaten Verstappen on merit since the fourtꩵh round at the end of April.

Winning iꦬn front of his adoring home crowd is a pipe dream but a podium would be a respectable return to form and something he can celebrate.

The battle for the wooden spoon hots up 

The battle for last in the constructors’ championship continues to hot up after 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Yuki Tsunoda’s P8 finish in Austin.

Tsunoda came away with eighth and the fastest lap to give Alpha⭕Tauri five crucial points in🅠 the constructors’ championship.

It means the Italian outfit sits just two points beꦜhind Haas, and six behind Alfa Romeo.

Each position in the championship is worth approximately $10 million so there’s a lot🅺 at stake going into the 🍨final run of races.

All change in FP1

A number of teams will be fielding ‘rookie’ drivers in Mexico ♓as part of F1’s rule that they must do so on at least two occasions during the season.

Due to there being a sprint weekend in Brazil - and Las Vegas ♊being a new track - many teams will likely opt for Mexico and Abu Dhabi to field their young driver.

Mercedes have Danish star Frederik Vesti driving for them in place of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell.

Vesti currently sits second in the FIA Formula 2 standings with one round to go and has been part 🌠of the Mercedes junior roster since 2019.

Alpine are running Jack Doohan, while highly-rated Ferrari youngster - a🍬nd Brit - Oliver Bearman will be in the Haas.

Frenchman♛ Isack Hadjar will get a chaꦅnce to drive the AlphaTauri in FP1.