Mexican Grand Prix 2018
There’s no reason for Lewis Hamilton to lose the Formula 1 season, does he?
The Briton is on pace to win the Drivers’ Championship after impressing through the second half of the Formula 1 calendar. He only needs a good result in the Mexican Grand Prix to secure his spot as the victor and race in the remaining races without any issues.
However, I don’t think the rest of the chasing pack will allow him much comfort. Sebastian Vettel is pushing himself and his car to the limit to salvage his season and set up a climactic final duel at Abu Dhabi. Max Verstappen dropped the gauntlet on the two leading racers in the manner only a brazen young star like him could. There’s also no reason to believe that the rest of the 17 racers in the starting grid will be driving to get some points for their own campaigns and personal objectives.
If Hamilton bottles the job here, his failure will be the biggest Mexican Grand Prix 2018 news on Monday. However, he will be the toast of the town if he seals the deal here!
This season is Hamilton’s to lose, and I doubt the Briton would like it any other way.
Talking Points
Hamilton is most likely hitting himself on the head after a poor gamble on his tyre strategy delayed his championship coronation at the Circuit of the Americas. We cannot take away from Raikkonen’s brilliant US Grand Prix, of course, but Hamilton had more than enough opportunities to take home the bacon in front of an adoring United States crowd.
It’s fortunate for him that Vettel — his long-standing rival for the title — finished behind him and wasn’t able to gain ground on his chase. Hamilton knows that he has a sure-fire chance to win at Mexico, and he is determined to end the season at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
“If I were sitting at home, making toast for breakfast and just watching the races on TV, maybe I would want the title chase to go right through to the end,” Hamilton said before practice. “But I am not at home, and when you are actually living in the situation, you just want to get it done.”
Fortunately for him, he is saved by the brilliant run of victories he secured during the second half of the season. His last win, a dominant display in Suzuka, gave him breathing room to finish the season with at least a seventh-place finish in Mexico City.
This situation isn’t only due to Hamilton performing to his usual standards. The comedy of errors displayed by Sebastian Vettel is also key to the Briton’s impending 2018 triumph.
The German received a lot of criticism with the way he bottled his chances. While his peers defended him from the F1 press’ consistent jabs, he took responsibility for his howlers. He assessed the criticisms hurled at him as “fair” and will surely do everything he can in Mexico to keep his hopes alive.
If you think that there wouldn’t be any drama left of the season, you will be in for a surprise. Max Verstappen enjoyed a good run of form over the past few races and is determined to make the last races of the season all about him.
The young Dutchman threw down the gauntlet to the two leading drivers and challenged them for the Mexican Grand Prix crown after pulling off such an impressive climb from 18th to second in Texas last time out.
Verstappen, who finished top of the pack during practice, will be bringing a fun and brazen charm that the monotonous Hamilton-Vettel storyline sorely lacks. If the Dutchman does take the pole by the race’s start, we will have an interesting race in our hands.
History
Hamilton is obviously the big favourite to win the race and the season. The Briton’s red-hot form as of late is hard to deny, and he doesn’t tend to bottle his opportunities. Moreover, he won the 2016 race after starting at the pole.
However, the Briton might not be especially looking to win it all here. After all, he only needs to finish seventh in order to secure his fifth Formula 1 title. He might just look to finish within the top seven and play a safe approach ahead of this game.
Moreover, Verstappen has a lot of momentum coming into this race. Not only did he finish a brilliant race in America, but he also won the 2017 race while starting in second. He has also shown a tendency to perform brilliantly late in the season over the past couple of years.
What are the odds?
A quick look at the Mexican Grand Prix 2018 odds at leading online bookies like SBOBET point to Verstappen as the big winner at 2.00 outright. Everyone is captivated by the Dutchman’s braggadocio, and I cannot blame you for it.
If you think Vettel can put on a chase, he has outright odds of 4.00. Hamilton has the same odds: he isn’t looking to win, after all.
However, it wouldn’t be bad to put your money on a local hero. Sergio Perez just loves racing in front of his home fans, and there’s no reason to believe that he will not perform here. If you believe that the Mexican can take the top spot, go for an ultra-risky punt and choose him for 301.00 outright.
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