Mexican Grand Prix LIVE: Result and reaction as Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton

Will Lewis Hamilton close the gap to championship leader Max Verstappen? Follow all the action from Mexico

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Lewis Hamilton’s dreams of a record-breaking eighth world championship are hanging by a thread after Max Verstappen outgunned his rival to win the Mexican Grand Prix.

Verstappen delivered the start of starts to blast away from third, and beat both Hamilton and pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas on the 220mph stampede to the opening corner.

Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez sits a breathless 2,285 metres above sea level, and Verstappen’s breathtaking getaway puts him in the driving seat to claim his maiden title and deny Hamilton further history.

Follow all the reaction from the Mexican Grand Prix below.

Mexican Grand Prix

• Verstappen beats Hamilton to first corner and first place as Bottas spins
• Tsunoda and Schumacher make early exits
• Perez challenges Hamilton for second as Verstappen runs clear
• Verstappen wins Mexican GP
• Bottas steals fastest lap bonus point in thrilling finale

[7 November 2021 19:20 · Jamie Braidwood]

Lap 10/71: Another fastest lap from Verstappen. He’s lapping half a second faster than Hamilton at the moment.

Russell loses a couple of places to the experienced pair of Raikkonen and Alonso and falls back to 11th.

[7 November 2021 19:18 · Jamie Braidwood]

Lap 9/71: Verstappen sets the fastest lap of the race - he’s three seconds up on Hamilton now. Red Bull are trying to convey a message to Verstappen that he doesn’t need to pushing so hard this early.

[7 November 2021 19:17 · Jamie Braidwood]

Lap 7/71: To confirm, Tsunoda and Schumacher are out - meaning that Bottas is running in last place at 18th, one place behind Ricciardo.

Hamilton on the Mercedes team radio: “He’s quick.” Verstappen is widening the gap out in front.

[7 November 2021 19:15 · Jamie Braidwood]

Lap 6/71: Verstappen has flown out of the traps following the restart and has built a two-second lead over Hamilton.

[7 November 2021 19:12 · Jamie Braidwood]

Lap 5/71: And we’re off, again! Verstappen makes a good start, flying ahead of Hamilton into turn one.

It’s as we were, apart from Sainz taking Giovinazzi into sixth.

[7 November 2021 19:11 · Jamie Braidwood]

Lap 4/71: The safety car is coming in at the end of this lap. What a start for Red Bull - now can Verstappen get clear following the restart?

[7 November 2021 19:08 · Jamie Braidwood]

Lap 1/71: What a crazy start! Verstappen benefitted from the slipstream behind the Mercedes and sailed around the outside.

Behind him, Ricciardo locked up going up the inside and touched Bottas, causing him to spin. Perez had to avoid the contact.

It’s a super start for Giovinazzi, though, who is up to sixth. Leclerc has also gained three places and is up to fifth. Russell made a good start too and is up to ninth after starting 16th.

[7 November 2021 19:05 · Jamie Braidwood]

SAFETY CAR

Lap 1/71: Crazy! Ricciardo then touches Bottas and he spins off the track! The Finn is down in 18th place!

Tsunoda also got hit and is out! The safety car has been deployed.

[7 November 2021 19:03 · Jamie Braidwood]

LIGHTS OUT

Lap 1/71: And we’re off! It’s a good start from Mercedes - but then Verstappen gets around the outside of both Bottas and Hamilton to take the lead!

[7 November 2021 19:01 · Jamie Braidwood]

Mexican Grand Prix

The cars set off for the formation lap and we are now just moments away from lights out at the start of the Mexican Grand Prix. It really is a special atmosphere in Mexico City.