To reach the podium at the Mexican Grand Prix

"Formula 1"

Daniil Kvyat missed the opportunity to reach the podium for the second time this season. At the Mexican Grand Prix, the Russian Red Bull driver retained third place for a long time, but in the end was forced to give it up to the owner of a more powerful engine, Valtteri Bottas. Mercedes number two Nico Rosberg won the race. Three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was second.

Red Bull team chief Christian Horner, already at the end of the Mexican Grand Prix, the first in this country since 1992, commenting on the performance of his drivers, noted that Daniil Kvyat had his best race of the season. The statement, given that the Russian was second in Hungary, and fourth at more prestigious races in Monaco and Belgium, is not indisputable at first glance. But in Hungary, Kvyat’s success was due not only to his own speed, but also to the fact that, for example, both Mercedes representatives failed the race, the potentially faster Kimi Raikkonen encountered technical problems, and in general Kvyat was, as they say, lucky. In Mexico, there was no need to talk about any special relationship of fortune. Based on the results of qualifying, the Russian earned fourth place at the start, in a fair fight he converted it into third, overtaking not just anyone, but Sebastian Vettel, in the end, he remained third for a very long time, and if not for the same Vettel, after whose departure from the safety car came out on the track, gathering the peloton into a tight “sausage”, then, most likely, he would have made it to the podium. Well, Vettel’s accident eliminated the groundwork that Kvyat had created during the race, and after the restart Valtteri Bottas overtook him. He overtook him on the straight, taking advantage of the fact that the Mercedes engine installed in his Williams simply produces more horsepower than the Renault, which is still used by Red Bull. “We couldn’t do anything in that situation,” stated Christian Horner. However, the Red Bull chief once again made it clear that he was very pleased with the performance of the Russian, who was four points ahead of teammate Daniel Ricciardo in the individual standings. Moreover, Mr. Horner confirmed that if Red Bull remains in Formula 1 next season, then one of the pilots will definitely be Daniil Kvyat.

But the question of whether Red Bull will be able to maintain its registration in Formula 1 still remains open. The team management has made it clear more than once that a situation in which one can only dream of competing with Mercedes is unacceptable. German cars in Mexico started another “infighting”, during which there was no doubt that Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg would not allow anyone into the fight between them. This time, by the way, Rosberg was luckier. Or maybe he just needed the victory more. Hamilton, after all, even after the previous stage - the US Grand Prix - guaranteed himself a third championship title, and there is no need to tear the veins of the Briton.

Christian Horner, answering the question for the thousandth time whether Red Bull would receive engines for the next season, avoided specifics as much as he could, although it was previously reported that the deadline on the issue of engines expires at the end of October. It's already November and still no solution. Even a desperate attempt to obtain Honda engines, the worst in the current championship, also ended in fiasco, encountering opposition from McLaren, which, under an agreement with the Japanese, has the opportunity to block the supply of engines to third parties. And by and large, the window of opportunity for Red Bull has narrowed so much that the only option left is to try to somehow establish relations with Renault again. “Red Bull needs to swallow a bitter pill,” stated one of the Mercedes executives, Niki Lauda. “Even if they wanted, Mercedes won’t give them engines, because they already provide four teams, Ferrari refused. That leaves Renault. If you ask Helmut Marko ( advisor to the Red Bull racing program. - Kommersant ), whether he went too far in relations with Renault, the honest answer would be “yes.” And I really hope that they will agree. Otherwise, both Red Bull and Red Bull will have problems. “Formula 1 as a whole,” Niki Lauda is sure.

Alexander Petrov

Mexican Grand Prix - 17th stage of the World Championship

eleven). Nico Rosberg (Germany, Mercedes) --1:42:35.038. 2 (2). Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain, Mercedes) - gap 1.954. 3 (6). Valtteri Bottas (Finland, Williams) - 14,592. 4 (4). Daniil Kvyat (Russia, Red Bull) - 16,572. 5 (5). Daniel Ricciardo (Australia, Red Bull) - 19.682. 6 (7). Felipe Massa (Brazil, Williams) - 21,493. 7 (10). Nico Hulkenberg (Germany, Force India) - 25.860. 8 (9). Sergio Perez (Mexico, Force India) - 34,343. 9 (8). Max Verstappen (Netherlands, Toro Rosso) - 35.229. 10 (12). Romain Grosjean (France, Lotus) - 37,934.

In parentheses is the driver's position on the starting grid.

Drivers' Championship

1. Hamilton - 345 points. 2. Rosberg - 272. 3. Sebastian Vettel (Germany, Ferrari) - 251. 4. Bottas - 126. 5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland, Ferrari) - 123. 6. Weight - 117. 7. Kvyat - 88. 8. Ricciardo - 84. 9. Perez - 68. 10. Verstappen - 47.

Hamilton won the championship ahead of schedule.

Constructors' Championship

1. Mercedes - 617 points. 2. Ferrari - 374. 3. Williams - 243. 4. Red Bull - 172. 5. Force India - 112. 6. Lotus - 71. 7. Toro Rosso - 65. 8. Sauber - 36. 9. McLaren - 27 .

Mercedes won the Constructors' Championship ahead of schedule.

Daniil Kvyat did not have enough horsepower