MEXICO CITY: Max Verstappen stretched his lead over Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One season championship with a dominant victory Sunday at the Mexico City Grand Prix, and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez finished third to become the first Mexican driver to reach the podium in the history of the race.
Verstappen, who started third after struggling in qualifying, now leads Hamilton by 19 points with four races left in the season. Hamilton finished second and had to fight off Perez at the end to hold on there.
Verstappen earned his ninth win of the season, second in a row and third career victory in Mexico City. The 24-year-old Dutchman is chasing his first career championship.
Hamilton is seeking a record eighth title, including the last four in a row. The British driver is currently tied with Michael Schumacher for most in F1 history.
Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas pulled a big surprise in qualifying when the Mercedes teammates earned their first front-row lockout of the season. Bottas was on pole, Hamilton second and Verstappen and Perez in third and fourth.
Their advantage didn't last through the first corner.
Verstappen bolted off his line at the start and used the slip stream behind Bottas to snatch the lead into the first corner. Bottas, meanwhile, got tapped by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and his car spun, dropping him to the back.
That left Hamilton in a Red Bull sandwich: Verstappen in front and Perez right behind, with Bottas no longer in play to help him defend his position.
And barely a third into the race, Verstappen was zooming off into the distance and Hamilton found himself in a desperate race with Perez to keep the critical championship points needed to keep Verstappen within sight over the final month of the season.
The home crowd roared when Perez briefly led after Hamilton and Verstappen pitted for new tires. That made him the first Mexican driver to lead the Mexico grand prix in race history. Perez earned a third straight podium finish for the first time in his career.
Max Verstappen wins in Mexico, extends lead over Lewis Hamilton in F1 title chase
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Max Verstappen wins in Mexico, extends lead over Lewis Hamilton in F1 title chase
- Verstappen bolted off his line at the start and used the slip stream behind Bottas to snatch the lead into the first corner
Riyadh stages LIV Golf opener as league navigates change in 2026
- Ben An: Night golf adds character to this event. It’s similar to night racing in F1, so I think it’ll be good for golf too
- Michael La Sasso: Being able to travel the world at such a young age, I couldn’t pass up this experience
RIYADH: The 2026 LIV Golf League gets underway in Riyadh this Wednesday, marking the start of a new season that will see the tour adopt a four-day, 72-hole format for the first time since its launch in 2022.
Despite the structural change, much of the early attention has focused on the departures of high-profile players such as Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, who recently confirmed that he will not return this season. LIV Golf players, however, insist their focus remains firmly on the campaign ahead.
At the league’s pre-season press conference, Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm addressed Reed’s move.
“I wish Patrick Reed nothing but the best,” Rahm said. “Everyone is free to choose wherever they want to play golf.
“He’s been playing fantastic golf, and if he wants to go back (to the PGA Tour), he can choose to do so.”
The opening event in Riyadh will again feature play under the lights — a format that has become one of LIV Golf’s most distinctive traits.
“It’s just a case of getting used to the night golf,” said Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton. Rahm agreed, noting that while the concept was enjoyable, consistently staging events after dark brought its own challenges.
For Tom McKibbin, playing under the lights initially came as a surprise but left a lasting impression during his first appearance in Riyadh last season.
“I don’t think any other golf event has been played in the dark — it was very new for me,” McKibbin said. “But I enjoyed playing under the lights, and it made for a cool first experience.”
Korean Golf Club member Ben An echoed that sentiment, suggesting the format added a new dimension to the sport.
“Night golf adds character to this event,” he said. “It’s similar to night racing in F1, so I think it’ll be good for golf too.”
Beyond the format, several players highlighted the competitive environment and global travel as key reasons for committing to LIV.
“I say this with no disrespect to other tours, but you only face the top players two to three times a year at a major,” said Richard Bland of Cleeks GC. “Here, you get to play against the likes of Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau 14 to 15 times a year.”
For younger players, including 21-year-old Michael La Sasso, the international nature of the tour has been a major draw.
“Being able to travel the world at such a young age, I couldn’t pass up this experience,” La Sasso told Arab News. “The amount I’ll be able to learn just by being here — it’s hard to express how cool it really is.
“As a 21-year-old, I get to see different cultures on a regular basis. Even seeing camels in Riyadh this week was pretty cool.”
LIV Golf opens for the second consecutive season under the Riyadh Golf Club lights from Feb. 4 to 7. Adrian Meronk of Cleeks GC returns as defending individual champion after finishing 17 under par last year, while Legion XIII claimed the team title with a total of 50 under par.
The tour moves on just seven days later, with its second event taking place in Adelaide — one of the most anticipated stops on the LIV calendar.
