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Vizag to kickstart INRC 2021 season on scenic beach tarmac
Visakhapatnam, 10 Nov 2021: Popular as INRC, the MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship for Cars will kick-start the delayed 2021 season with Vizag hosting the first round next month, announced Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, Minister of Sports, Andhra Pradesh, here on Wednesday along with the Promoters.
“This is the first time we are bringing a high-profile motorsports event to Vizag, which last hosted a National karting event in 2012. While karting is an entry level sport, the historic National rally is a flagship discipline in motorsports and we are expecting huge crowds as an array of stars and fast race cars will be seen in action,” the minister added.
The Minister on behalf of the Promoters also released the four-round Calendar for 2021 season at a Press Conference here. “The Jewel of the East Coast will host the first round on the high-speed tarmac roads on the scenic Beach road from December 17 to 19. Many National rally champions including multiple Asia Pacific Rally champion and Arjuna Awardee Gaurav Gill have entered the fray,’’ said Merla Vamsi, the Promoter of Champions Yacht Club, which will jointly organise the Vizag round along with the Karnataka Motor Sports Club (KMSC), which runs the famous Karnataka-1000, the oldest rally in the 34-year history of INRC, that got the National status in 1988. The other rounds will be Bengaluru (K1000) in January, Coimbatore in February and Nagaland in March. A fifth round, the contender round is also expected in Hyderabad, subject to clearance from FMSCI.
The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs in India (FMSCI), the National Authority that governs motorsport and promotes safe, sustainable and accessible mobility for all road users across India, is affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). FMSCI runs 12 Nationals in different motorsports disciplines like Rallying, Road Racing, Super Cross and Karting.
The beautiful Vizag-Bhimili beach road from Ramakrishna Beach to Kalinga, where the Special Stages will be held may not see Dolphins in the sea nor spotted deers crossing the road like they did in eighties when Navy used to conduct the Hill Climbs and TSD treasure hunts for motorsports lovers in this region, but the speed maestros like Gill, Karna Kadur, Dean Mascarenhas or Amittrajit Ghosh will be literally flying on the smooth tarmac, with road humps providing a visual treat to the crowds. “To cut the high-speeds we are creating artificial chicanes with soft tyres or tubes and the Stages will be cancelled if average speeds cross 110-kmph. But we are retaining the speed-breakers which will be negotiated with ease and the car jumps will provide a thrilling spectacle at high speeds for the crowds. Also the Police department is kind enough to provide over 400 police and we have trained marshals and local village safety volunteers to guard the route. The roads will be closed for traffic with windows to release the piled up traffic in intervals between the stages. A team of over 35 rally experts and 40 HAM station operators from KMSC Bengaluru, and 10 FMSCI officials will monitor the safety of the rally,” informed Vamsi.
The rally will have 12 Special Stages, eight to be run on Saturday and four on Sunday. The ceremonial start at Ramakrishna beach will be on Friday, Dec 17. All the cars from teams like MRF, JK Tyre, Mahindras, Yokohoma, Arka Motorsports, Chettinad Sporting, Snap Racing, among others will arrive on Thursday for scrutiny. Many lady drivers, who are provided free entries, will compete on equal footing with men. Bhaskar Gupta will be the Clerk of the Course and every car will have a co-driver who will give navigational calls to the driver based on the Road Book (tulip) provided by the organisers and the notes of the driver prepared during recce (reconnaissance), a practice run which is allowed at normal roads speeds on Thursday or Friday. The actual rally will be on Saturday and Sunday.
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Sergio Perez, first to claim podium in home race
By Malhaar Khaladkar
Max Verstappen took a dominant win for the third time at the Mexico City Grand Prix as he extended his championship lead over rival Lewis Hamilton to 19 points. Hamilton finished second on the road as he held off home hero Sergio Perez who achieved a podium for the first time at his home race.
London, 8 November 2021: The race got off to an explosive start as Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were side by side, three-wide going into turn 1. Bottas backed off but was tagged by Daniel Ricciardo in the McLaren, the Finn spinning and falling to the back of the grid. In the process Ricciardo lost his front wing. Verstappen now lead the grand prix with Hamilton in P2 and Perez P3- a dream start for Red Bull. Behind an incident between Esteban Ocon, Yuki Tsunoda and Mick Schumacher meant that both the AlphaTauri and Haas car had to retire bringing out the safety car.
Racing resumed on lap 5 as Verstappen pulled off quickly, building a 1s lead over Hamilton. Behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz overtook the Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi for P6- the Italian gaining five positions at the start of the race. Meanwhile, Bottas and Ricciardo were stuck behind back markers at the far end of the grid.
Verstappen gradually increased his lead over Hamilton as the Red Bull’s superior race pace was showcased, the Mercedes was unable to keep up. By lap 21 Verstappen was more than 7s ahead of Hamilton with Perez hanging onto Hamilton and staying around 2s behind the Briton. Behind the leaders, Pierre Gasly was running a superb P4 for AlphaTauri ahead of Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Sainz.
Mercedes decided to bite the bullet and boxed Hamilton for a set of hard tyres on lap 29 to avoid getting undercut by Perez and lose P2. Verstappen continued for four more laps before doing the same, emerging comfortably ahead of Hamilton. Perez continued as he became the first Mexican driver in history to lead their home grand prix.
Leclerc pitted on lap 30 and Gasly followed suit one lap later to cover him as both ran in net P4 and P5 position with Sainz continuing for longer on the medium tyres. Sainz eventually pitted on lap 42 for hard tyres gaining quickly on Leclerc as the team swapped the cars on track, so that Sainz with fresher tyres could attack Gasly up in P4.
Perez pitted on lap 40 and emerged about 9s behind Hamilton but with 11 laps younger tyres. The chase was on! Mercedes did not have the race pace to challenge Verstappen as he was in the lead by over 10s and Perez was closing in on Hamilton rapidly, especially through the middle sector of the lap where the W12 struggled.
By lap 60 Perez was just 1s behind Hamilton, as he looked for ways to get past Hamilton. The saving grace for Hamilton was that Mercedes had greater straight line speed compared to their rivals, which helped the 7-time world champion stay ahead of the Red Bull driver in the DRS zones.
Ultimately Verstappen won in a dominant fashion by over 16s increasing his lead in the championship to 19 points as Hamilton held off Perez for P2 in what was a damage limitation race for him. Perez gave his all to get past Hamilton but in the end had to settle for P3, albeit first ever podium for him at his home race. Gasly delivered another consistent race to finish in P4 ahead of the Ferrari pairing of Leclerc and Sainz in P5 and P6 respectively.
Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel finished a brilliant P7, making use of the first lap and a good strategy to get a decent haul of points. Alfa Romeo too had a good strategy to help Kimi Raikkonen finish P8, though the same cannot be said for teammate Giovinazzi as his strategy was compromised and meant he finished P11, just outside the points. Alpine’s Fernando Alonso finished in P9 ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in P10 who had started at the back of the grid after taking a power unit penalty.
Ricciardo could not make it back to the top 10 after lap 1 incident as he finished P12 ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon in P13 and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in P14- who received power unit penalties as well. Williams pairing of George Russell and Nicholas Latifi finished in P16 and P17 ahead oh Haas’ Nikita Mazepin in P18 with Tsunoda and Schumacher the only retirees from the grand prix.
Red Bull had superior pace compared to Mercedes as Verstappen on average was 0.3-0.5s/lap faster than Hamilton in the race. They underperformed in qualifying as Mercedes locked out the front row but delivered on Sunday. The higher downforce nature of their car working better at the high altitude of Mexico City as air is thinner. Mercedes locking out the front row was a surprise for everyone but ultimately did not have the pace to challenge for the win on Sunday. Compounded with the fact that Bottas fell to the back of the grid they were handicapped in terms of race strategy at the front. With Red Bull in the ascendency, it looks like a tall order for Mercedes if they want to win the championships.
AlphaTauri had an incident free weekend with Pierre Gasly as he qualified P5 and finished P4 in the race, ahead of both Ferrari and McLaren cars. With that result they are level on points with Alpine in the constructor’s championship. Ferrari achieved another double points finish and leaped ahead of McLaren in the constructor’s championship. They certainly have a superior car compared to the McLaren and it remains to be seen if the Woking squad can fight back. McLaren had a dismal weekend by their standards, Ricciardo finishing outside the points and Norris adding a single point to their tally after taking an engine penalty.
Alpine and Aston Martin had positive race weekends as good strategy calls enabled them for points finish on Sunday with Vettel and Alonso respectively. Alfa Romeo may not have had the pace on paper for appoints finish but with a brilliant strategy and driving by Kimi Raikkonen helped them get P8. They were unable to maximise their race as they could have achieved points with Giovinazzi had he not pitted early went on for long. Williams lacked the pace in qualifying and the race to challenge for the top 10 positions and Haas finished bottom of the pace charts.
Saturday Qualifying results were:
P1: Valtteri Bottas- 77 (Mercedes) P2: Lewis Hamilton- 44 (Mercedes) P3: Max Verstappen- 33 (Red Bull) P4: Sergio Perez- 11 (Red Bull) P5: Pierre Gasly- 10 (AlphaTauri) P6: Carlos Sainz- 55 (Ferrari) P7: Daniel Ricciardo- 3 (McLaren) P8: Charles Leclerc- 16 (Ferrari) P9: Yuki Tsunoda- 22 (AlphaTauri) P10: Lando Norris- 4 (McLaren) P11: Sebastian Vettel- 5 (Aston Martin) P12: Kimi Raikkonen- 7 (Alfa Romeo) P13: George Russell- 63 (Williams) P14: Antonio Giovinazzi- 99 (Alfa Romeo) P15: Esteban Ocon- 31 (Alpine) P16: Fernando Alonso- 14 (Alpine) P17: Nicholas Latifi- 6 (Williams) P18: Mick Schumacher- 47 (Haas) P19: Nikita Mazepin- 9 (Haas) P20: Lance Stroll- 18 (Aston Martin) Note – Russell drops 5 grid places for taking on a new gearbox after exceeding his allocation. Ocon, Stroll, Tsunoda and Norris start from the back of the grid after taking on new PU components.
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Verstappen finishes ahead of Hamilton, extends lead
Mexico City, 7 Nov 2021: Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen extended his 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship lead over Lewis Hamilton to 19 points with a controlled drive to victory ahead of the Mercedes driver at the Mexico City Grand Prix as Sergio Pérez claimed third place to become the first Mexican driver to stand on the podium at his home race.
When the lights went out Verstappen got a good start from third place on the grid and on the long run to Turn 1 he got a powerful tow from Hamilton. He drew alongside the Briton and as they went into the first corner he braked later and hung on around that outside to take the lead. H rise to the front was aided by Valtteri Bottas spinning out midway through the corner after the Finnish polesitter was tagged by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. That allowed Pérez to take third place, through the Mexican had to take evasive action when Bottas spun to his right.
Further back AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and Haas’ Mick Schumacher were involved in a collision and with the cars stranded at the side of the track the safety car was deployed.
When racing resumed four laps later, Verstappen comfortably held his advantage as the safety car left the track and he quickly settled into his first stint.
And by lap 19 the Dutch driver had pulled out an almost seven-second gap to Hamilton. Pérez stuck close to the Mercedes driver, maintaining a two-second deficit as the race edged into the pit window for a one-stop race.
At the end of a long first stint, Hamilton was the first to blink and he headed towards the pity lane at the end of lap 29. He took on hard tyres in a 2.4s stop and rejoined in P5 behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque driver made his visit to the pit lane on the next lap and then Gasly pitted from third place. That freed Hamilton and he began setting purple laps. On lap 32 he was 17 seconds behind second-placed Pérez.
Verstappen then made his sole pit stop at the end of 33, taking on hard tyres. That promoted Pérez into the lead of his home grand prix and when Verstappen rejoined in second place he was 7.5s clear of Hamilton in third.
Pérez extended his stint to end of lap 40 and after switching to hard tyres he rejoined in third place, 9.9s behind Hamilton, but with tyres that were 11 laps newer. The Mexican quickly began to reduce the deficit and by lap 50 he was six seconds adrift of the Briton.
At the front, Verstappen was racing comfortably towards the flag and on lap 53 he set the fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:18.999. That opened the gap to Hamilton to 13 seconds and the Dutchman then began to manage his pace as he marched to his 19th career win and his third in Mexico City overall.
Behind him, Pérez was still clawing back the gap to Hamilton and by lap 56 the Mexican was 2.8s behind the Mercedes driver. Over the course of the next 10 laps he gradually reeled in the Mercedes but despite a speculative look to the outside of the Mercedes in Turn 4 on the final lap, he couldn’t find a way past and Hamilton took second place ahead of the Red Bull driver who became the first Mexican to score a podium finish at his home race.
Behind Pérez, fourth place went to AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly and the Frenchman’s 12 points put the Italian squad level with Alpine on 106 points in the battle for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Ferrari took fifth and sixth places with Leclerc ahead of Sainz, while Sebastian Vettel took seventh place fort Aston Martin. Kimi Räikkonen scored four valuable points for Alfa Romeo with eighth place, ninth place went to Alpine’s Fernando Alonso and the final point on offer went to McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Verstappen’s win means he now has a 19-point lead over Hamilton with four races remaining. The double podium finish means Red Bull Racing are now just a single point behind Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship.
2021 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix – Race
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 71 1:38’39.086
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 71 1:38’55.641 16.555
3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda 71 1:38’56.838 17.752
4 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 71 1:39’42.931 1’03.845
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 71 1:40’00.123 1’21.037
6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 70 1:38’41.516 1 lap /2.430
7 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin/Mercedes 70 1:38’49.144 1 lap /10.058
8 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 70 1:38’54.245 1 lap /15.159
9 Fernando Alonso Alpine/Renault 70 1:39’02.775 1 lap /23.689
10 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 70 1:39’05.312 1 lap /26.226
11 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 70 1:39’40.085 1 lap /1’00.999
12 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 70 1:39’40.975 1 lap /1’01.889
13 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 70 1:39’52.459 1 lap /1’13.373
14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 69 1:38’47.037 2 laps /7.951
15 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 69 1:39’12.019 2 laps /32.933
16 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 69 1:39’17.888 2 laps /38.802
17 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 69 1:39’32.376 2 laps /53.290
18 Nikita Mazepin Haas/Ferrari 68 1:39’26.403 3 laps /47.317
Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 0 Collision
Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda 0 Collision -
In a tense thriller, rookie seals the deal: Moto3 World champ
Algarve, 7 Nov 2021: Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is the 2021 FIM Moto3 World Champion! In a tense thriller at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, the rookie sensation sealed the deal with a win as sole remaining rival Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) hit some bad luck on the final lap. Acosta has led the standings since the second Grand Prix of the season – his incredible win from pitlane in Doha – and takes his place in history as the first rookie lightweight class Champion since Loris Capirossi in 1990.
Acosta’s ascent to the crown began at five years old when his family bought him a dirt bike. But it wasn’t quite love at first sight, although the young Spaniard did have an apt hero: Kevin Schwantz. And he did keep going, starting a path that would really take off in 2017 as he took the pre-Moto3™ title in Spain with two races to spare, starting to stand out.
He then moved into the FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship for 2018, and had some solid finishes. But in 2019 his incredible ascent gained even more traction as he paired the FIM Moto3 JWCh with his first season in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. In the FIM CEV Repsol paddock he started running at the front and finished in the top five, and in the Rookies Cup he came overall runner up after a stunning first season in the series. Three wins and five podiums didn’t secure him the crown, but then came 2020.
Acosta was a force to be reckoned with in the FIM Moto3™ JWCh and came third overall, with three wins and five further podiums. In the Rookies, however, he was absolutely unstoppable. He won the first six races in a row and wrapped up the crown with two races remaining.
Making his debut in the Moto3 World Championship in 2021, then, came with some hype. But that hype was outgunned in just two races: in the first he took second and debuted on the podium, just 0.042s off the win. Second time out, Acosta won. And somehow, he did it from pitlane.
It was a truly stunning race as the Spaniard was given a pitlane start and then emerged to take his first Grand Prix win, slicing through the pack lap after lap. In Portugal he won again, this time in a duel vs future title rival Foggia, and in Jerez it became three in a row. Goosebump-inducing greatness was the name of the game in his first four races, with history made nearly every weekend.
Three top 10s followed but Acosta was back on top in style at the Sachsenring, before only just missing out on the podium at Assen. Another win at the Styrian GP after an incredible duel against earlier season rival Sergio Garcia (MuchoNeaumatico GASGAS Aspar Team) cemented an incredible lead for the number 37, and another fourth in the Austrian GP added more good points.
A few tougher races then followed, including his first and only DNF at Aragon, but by the time the paddock arrived back at Misano for the Emilia-Romagna GP, it was match point time. Foggia was on a roll but the points were still very much in Acosta’s favour, and as the Italian won to keep the fight rolling to the Algarve GP, the number 37 was at least back on the podium in third – for the first time since his Styrian GP win.
And so the rollercoaster beckoned. Foggia vs Acosta had decided the Portuguese Grand Prix, and in Acosta’s favour, but everything was on the line at the Grande Premio Brembo do Algarve. 21 points clear, a race win would guarantee a title win, but Foggia was right in the fight at the front.
Starting P14 made life difficult for Acosta, but in true Acosta style, it didn’t take long for the number 37 to be fighting for the race lead. An epic, enthralling, and, in the end, dramatic encounter followed. Acosta dived up the inside of Foggia at Turn 3 on the final lap to take the lead. Unfortunately for Foggia, the Italian was then taken out not long after and lost the right to reply, with Acosta going on to claim victory and with it the 2021 Moto3 title.
Acosta has been an absolute sensation in Moto3 this season, and the World Champion has one more lightweight class race to contend before his Moto2 adventure with Red Bull KTM Ajo begins. Congratulations, Pedro!
#RookieChampInStats
Pedro Acosta is the first rider to take the title in his rookie season in the 125cc/Moto3 class since Loris Capirossi in 1990.
Aged 17 years and 166 days old, he also becomes the second youngest ever World Champion in GP racing, one day behind Loris Capirossi (17 years and 165 days old).
Acosta is the sixth Spanish rider to win the Moto3™ title since the introduction of the class back in 2012 and the 15th different Spanish rider to clinch the title in the lightweight category (the 22nd in GP racing). In addition, Acosta’s title is the 21st in the lightweight class for Spain and the 55th in Grand Prix racing.
This is the fifth time that a KTM rider has won the Moto3™ world title, adding to the championships won by Sandro Cortese (2012), Maverick Viñales (2013), Brad Binder (2016) and Albert Arenas (2020).
Acosta becomes the second successive rider to clinch the title in the lightweight category without a single pole position, after Albert Arenas last year.
In Styria, Acosta won for the fifth time in his rookie season in Moto3, becoming the first rookie to take five wins in the 125cc/Moto3 class since Alex Criville in 1989 (on his way to clinching the title).
Following Qatar, Doha, Portugal and Spain, Acosta becomes the first ever rider to stand on the podium on his first four GP races.
At the Spanish GP, Acosta won for the first third time in what was only his fourth race in Moto3. Aged 16 years and 342 days old, he becomes the youngest rider ever to take three successive GP wins, taking the record off Marco Melandri (17 years and 29 days old).
Acosta has stood on the podium eight times in 2021 (including six wins), two less Dennis Foggia. They are the riders with most podium finishes during the season.
At the Doha GP, Acosta became the first rider to start from pitlane and win the race since the introduction of Moto3 in 2012.
Pedro Acosta: “It’s unbelievable, I was thinking on the in-lap about everything that’s happened this last year. Less than a year ago I lost the opportunity to come here with another team, and finally Aki, Red Bull and KTM gave me the opportunity. But they didn’t give me a team, they gave me a family. I didn’t win this alone, we won this together. The guys didn’t stop believing in me when in the middle of the season I had some bad races or when I crashed, you know. Everyone believe in me and this is for everyone in the team, for Aki, Red Bull, KTM, all my mechanics. Everybody.
“I’m not proud of myself, I’m more super proud of them who didn’t stop believing. Everybody was talking about it… we did it together for sure. I think they gave me the mentality of not riding alone, I ride with my team, with my close circle. We know we won this together.
“I preferred to not look behind and just try to push. The only thing I could do was push and I did. I’m proud to fight with Dennis, and for sure he’s going to fight for the Championship next year. I’m proud to fight with these guys.”
First Grand Prix: Qatar 2021, Moto3™
First podium: Qatar 2021, Moto3™
First victory: Doha 2021, Moto3™
Grands Prix: 17 (17 in Moto3™)
Victories: 6 (6 in Moto3™)
Podiums: 8 (8 in Moto3™)
Fastest laps: 1 (1 in Moto3™)
World Championships: Moto3™ (2021)
World Championship career:
2021: Moto3™ World Championship – 1st, KTM, 259 points -
Bagnaia hands Ducati Constructors crown in red-flagged race
Algarve (Portugal), 7 Nov 2021:Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was unstoppable at the Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve and picked up his third victory of the season, with his latest 25-point haul handing Ducati the 2021 Constructors title. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the podium in Portimao as the race ended prematurely, with an Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crash at Turn 13 bringing out the red flags – riders conscious, Oliveira headed to the medical centre for a check-up.
Bagnaia in cruise control, Ducati retain Constructor crown, Quartararo crashes
Miller propelled his GP21 off the line very well and grabbed the holeshot diving down the hill into Turn 1, but the Australian was slightly wide, allowing polesitter Bagnaia through and into the lead. Lap 1 saw Mir pass Miller at Turn 8, the Spaniard making his front row start count, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) losing a couple of positions.
Pecco and Mir soon found themselves nearly a second clear of Miller, who had Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing), Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Quartararo in hot pursuit. Pecco started to get the hammer down on Lap 7, his lead was up to 0.7s over Mir, who in turn was a second up the road from Miller. Third place soon went to Alex Marquez though, the double World Champion got the job done at Turn 1 at the beginning of Lap 12.
As things stood, with Pecco leading and Quartararo 7th, Ducati would be crowned Constructors Champions. And Pecco’s lead was stretching. With 12 laps to go, the Italian’s lead was up to 1.9s over Mir, who was sat 1.3s ahead of Alex Marquez. 2.4s was Bagnaia’s advantage with nine laps to go, Mir was holding Alex Marquez and Miller at bay by just over a second, with Martin, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Quartararo a second and a half down on the podium fight.
A fantastic fight between Marquez and Miller was unfolding for the final podium spot. Turn 1 witnessed Miller dive up the inside of the Honda rider, but Marquez was able to make the cutback work – so it was as you were with six laps remaining. Quartararo was struggling to dismiss Pramac duo Martin and Zarco, with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) now joining the scrap for P5.
With five laps to go, at Turn 5, Quartararo slipped out of contention. A first DNF of the season was endured by the World Champion, not the way he imagined his Algarve GP going – rider ok. Focus turned then turned to the Miller vs Alex Marquez fight, the Aussie still leading that ding-dong, before a crash involving Lecuona and home hero Oliveira at Turn 13 brought out the red flags. Both riders were conscious and eventually up on their feet, but with three-quarters of the race completed, the race was declared a result at the beginning of Lap 24.
Pecco’s victory ultimately ensured Ducati retained their Constructor crown, a fantastic way to bounce back after the disappointment felt by the Bologna camp at Misano. Mir returns to the rostrum for the first time since Aragon, Miller too ends a podium drought that stretched back to the Catalan GP.
Portimao’s points scorers
Alex Marquez’ fantastic weekend ended with the Spaniard unluckily missing out on a chance to attack Miller for the final podium spot, but it was nonetheless a brilliant rider from the LCR Honda Castrol man – a best result of the season for the number 73. Zarco claimed a lonely P6 in the end, a result that confirms the Frenchman as the top Independent Team rider in 2021. Pol Espargaro’s P6 was a job well done for the Spaniard, and talking of jobs well done, Martin’s P7 was fantastic.
Only a few months on from his Turn 7 horror crash, Martin returned to Portimao to pick up an impressive result to help Pramac Racing become Independent Team Champions – with Martin now just three points down on Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) in the Rookie of the Year fight. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) finished 8th ahead of Bastianini in 9th, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the top 10.
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Avintia), Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Andrea Dovizioso (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Marc Marquez’ stand-in Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) completed the points positions, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) were the other finishers in Portimao.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) suffered DNFs in the Algarve.
Pecco is back on top! The Italian has secured the silver medal in the MotoGP™ World Championship, as well as helping Ducati secure the Constructor crown. Now, Ducati Lenovo Team and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP go head-to-head for the Teams Championship title in Valencia. The season finale is just around the corner – don’t miss out on all the action.Top 10:1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)2. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 2.4783. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 6.4024. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) + 6.4535. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 7.8826. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 9.5737. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) + 10.1448. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 10.7429. Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) + 13.84010. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 14.487
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Rookie Pedro Acosta wins Moto3 World title
KTM have won the Moto3 World Championship for the second year in a row. Red Bull KTM Ajo rider and KTM GP Academy star, Pedro Acosta, capped a magnificent rookie season in Grand Prix racing by confirming his first ‘gold medal’ at seventeen years of age at the Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve in Portugal.
– Acosta rules in Portimao and claims Moto3 world title in rookie year with six wins and eight podiums from 17 races- KTM lift fifth Moto3 crown since 2011 and second in a row with the KTM RC4- Red Bull KTM Ajo celebrate third Moto3 championship after titles with Sandro Cortese & Brad Binder Pedro Acosta started the 21-lap race knowing he was less than an hour away from putting his name in the world championship record books. Finishing ahead of sole title threat Dennis Foggia was enough in terms of points needed and before MotoGP travelled to the last round in Valencia. The Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve in Portugal represented the second trip to the circuit in 2021, as the Portimao course hosted round three of the series in April. A chilly but sunny climate graced the second-to-last race of the year and Moto3 launched the Sunday program at 12.20 CET. Acosta moved up from 14th on the grid and was part of a frantic chase between an eight-rider group for the podium. The lead changed numerous times with fellow Red Bull KTM Ajo racer Jaume Masia also in contention until a late fall at Turn 5. When Foggia was a victim of contact on the final lap and crashed, 17-year-old Acosta was free to charge to the finish line and confirmation of his crown. Niccolo Antonelli made sure of his fourth podium of the 2021 in 3rd place. Ayumu Sasaki was less than two seconds from Acosta in 6th while Daniel Holgado – substituting Deniz Öncü – took his first world championship points for 13th.
Acosta, the 2020 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, made an instant and lasting impact on Moto3 in his first attempt. He finished 2nd on his debut in Qatar but then sensationally won his second outing at the Losail International Circuit despite starting from pitlane. He added another four wins in the following eight Grands Prix to power to the top of the standings and remain in place. For the second year in succession KTM began championship celebrations in Portimao after Albert Arenas had won the 2020 Moto3 competition at the same site. Pedro Acosta: “I feel like I have nothing to say at the moment! I did the warm-down lap crying. I can only say thanks to the team, Aki, KTM and Red Bull. They gave me a family this year. Thanks to all the guys that send me messages every day. To all the people pushing me: this championship is for them.”Results Moto3 Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve in Portugal 20211. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 38:04.3392. Andrea Migno (ITA) Honda +0.3543. Niccolo Antonelli (ITA) KTM +0.8804. Jeremy Alcoba (ESP) Honda +1.7685. Izan Guevarra (ESP) GASGAS +1.8396. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +1.87413. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +9.93019. Jaume Masia (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +13.616
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Valtteri Bottas takes Mexico pole ahead of Hamilton
Mexico City, (Mexico), 6 Nov 2021: Valtteri Bottas scored a surprise pole position as Mercedes locked out the front row for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix ahead of the Red Bulls of championship leader Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez.
Through Friday and final practice on Saturday morning Red Bull Racing had been dominant, with local favourite Pérez topping FP3 six tenths of a second clear of the Mercedes drivers. However, in Q3 the tables turned as Mercedes found pace and the Red Bull drivers’ final runs were compromised when AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda went off at Turn 10. The incident caused Pérez to also run wide. Anticipating yellow flags Verstappen reduced speed and his lap was gone. It left the Red Bull team-mates in third and fourth as Bottas first-run time proved good enough to hand him 19th career pole position, with Lewis Hamilton second.
At the start of Q1, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the early pace with a lap of 1:17.991, half a second ahead of Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and the second Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.
However, seven minutes into the session Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll lost control through the Peraltada and slid into the barriers. The Canadian hit the wall nose first and then was spun round so that the rear of the car slammed into the barriers. The red flags were immediately displayed.
After a 25-minute delay while the TecPro barriers were repaired at the crash site, the session resumed. Bottas vaulted to top spot with a time of 1:17.516 with Hamilton second, but Pérez then took P1 with a lap of 1:17.451. Verstappen was just behind the Mexican on track though and when he crossed the line he moved to P1 with a lap of 1:16.788. Both Mercedes went for another run and Bottas moved to second place with a lap of 1:16.959 while Hamilton took P3 ahead of Pérez. The Mexican was also on another run however, and he climbed to P3.
In the final runs, Bottas put in a good lap to take P1 with a time of 1:16.727. Leclerc took second place meaning that Max progressed in P3. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly jumped to P3 in the final moments of the segment and Pérez went through in P5 ahead of Hamilton.
At the other end of the order, Alpine’s Fernando Alonso was eliminated in P16 ahead of Williams’ Nicholas Latifi, the Haas cars of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin and the unfortunate Stroll.
When the green lights were lit for Q2, the bulk of the field emerged on medium tyres. Verstappen quickly found his way to top spot with a lap of 1:16.483 with Pérez in P2 thanks to a lap of 1:17.005. The Mexican was quickly shuffled down to sixth place as other first-run times came in, with one of those ahead being Tsunoda who claimed P3 as one of only two drivers on soft tyres.
At the end of the middle segment Hamilton took top spot with a lap of 1:16.474. Verstappen went through in P2 ahead of Tsunoda, Bottas and Gasly. Leclerc took P6 and Pérez progressed to the top-10 shootout in seventh place ahead of Ricciardo, Sainz and Norris. Eliminated, though, were Sebastian Vettel in P11 ahead of Räikkönen, George Russell, Anotnio Giovinazzi and Esteban Ocon.
In Q3, Bottas claimed provisional pole with a lap of 1:15.875 ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton, leaving Verstappen third and Pérez in fourth place.
The Red Bull drivers went out for their final runs with Pérez ahead of Verstappen and it initially looked as though the Mexican’s efforts to provide his team-mate with a tow were working. But ahead of the Mexican, Tsunoda went off and triggered the end of Red Bull’s challenge for pole.
Neither Bottas nor Hamilton could improve on their final runs and the top-four order remained as it had been after the opening runs with Bottas taking pole ahead of Hamilton and with Red Bull locking out row two.
Behind the leading quartet, Gasly qualified fifth ahead of Sainz, the McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo and the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. The unfortunate Tsunoda qualified ninth but will start from the grid due to PU penalties and 10th place was taken by McLaren’s Lando Norris who will also take PU penalties.
2021 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:15.875 7 204.209
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:16.020 0.145 0.191 7 203.820
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 1:16.225 0.350 0.461 7 203.271
4 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda 1:16.342 0.467 0.615 5 202.960
5 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 1:16.456 0.581 0.766 6 202.657
6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:16.761 0.886 1.168 6 201.852
7 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 1:16.763 0.888 1.170 6 201.847
8 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:16.837 0.962 1.268 6 201.652
9 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda 1:17.158 1.283 1.691 6 200.813
10 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:36.830 20.955 27.618 5 160.016
11 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:17.746 1.272 1.663 7 199.295
12 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:17.958 1.484 1.941 8 198.753
13 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 1:18.172 1.698 2.220 6 198.209
14 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:18.290 1.816 2.375 6 197.910
15 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:18.405 1.931 2.525 6 197.620
16 Fernando Alonso Alpine/Renault 1:18.452 1.725 2.248 7 197.501
17 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 1:18.756 2.029 2.644 8 196.739
18 Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 1:18.858 2.131 2.777 9 196.484
19 Nikita Mazepin Haas/Ferrari 1:19.303 2.576 3.357 9 195.382
20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:20.873 4.146 5.404 3 191.589 -
Bagnaia beats Miller to record Portimão pole
The Italian claims a fifth pole in a row with a new lap record, and Mir a first ever MotoGP top three
Portimao, 6 Nov 2021: For a fifth time in succession, Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia is on pole position! The Italian set a new lap record at the Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve with a 1:38.725 to beat teammate Jack Miller to the top by just 0.104. Bagnaia homes in on Casey Stoner’s seven in a row for Ducati in 2007-2008, and he becomes the first Italian to take five pole in a row since Valentino Rossi from the 2003 Malaysian GP to the 2004 Spanish GP. 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), meanwhile, also had a good day at the office as he took his first ever top three in MotoGP™ qualifying. He’s started from the front row before, but via a penalty for another rider.
Q1
A thrilling Q1 saw home hero Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hoping to give the Portuguese crowd something to cheer about, but it wasn’t to be for the 2020 Portimão race winner this time around as he missed out. Ultimately, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) left it late to snatch P1 away from Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing), and with that the Ducati and KTM duo headed into the pole position battle.Q2
Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing), shadowing Bagnaia, struck with the first fastest lap of Q2 with a 1:39.264, but the Spaniard’s time would be beaten by both Mir and Miller soon after. The Australian’s 1:38.836 was the first new all-time lap record of the session. A Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) crash in the final sector then brought out the yellow flags, although it was newly-crowned Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) more affected, a P3 lap time cancelled.The riders then boxed for fresh rubber as Miller sat on provisional pole from Mir and Martin, with Pecco was P4. What was in store in the final four minutes of the penultimate Q2 of 2021?
Bagnaia was the first to set a flying lap as the riders re-emerged from pitlane, and the Italian went P1 with a new lap record. The goalposts were moved by another 0.061 as the Bologna bullets went head-to-head for Portimão pole position.
Pecco then stretched his advantage to 0.111 on his next lap, and Miller could only manage to cut the gap to 0.104. Was that it done and dusted, or could Quartararo find an answer?
A red Sector 2 came in from the Frenchman but ultimately nothing came of the Champion’s lap; El Diablo forced to settle for P7 as Pecco notched up his fifth Saturday P1 in a row. Quartararo did, however, wrap up the BW M Award regardless.
There was a little spice as Mir got held up slightly by Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol), but the Suzuki rider still takes his first Saturday top three… and the number 73 went to apologise.
The Grid
Behind the Ducati 1-2 and Mir in third, Rookie of the Year contender Martin returns to the circuit where he suffered his huge crash earlier in the season and takes an impressive fourth, edging out teammate Zarco by thousandths as the Frenchman nevertheless came through Q1 to grab a second row start in P5. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) took sixth, 0.333s down on pole.Quartararo is in slightly unfamiliar territory on Row 3, the 2021 Champion cut a more muted figure back in the box after finishing 0.4 away from Pecco in Q2. Alex Marquez, despite his small Mir moment, bagged his best MotoGP™ Q2 result in P8. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) lines up alongside Quartararo and Marquez in ninth.
Lecuona is another who has impressed this weekend and his efforts in Q1 and Q2 see the WorldSBK-bound rider start P10, just ahead of Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Marini.
The penultimate race of the 2021 season is now very much on the horizon, and it’s Ducati who enjoyed Saturday the most. Can Quartararo and Yamaha claw their way back through the pack on Sunday afternoon in their pursuit of the triple crown? Tune into the premier class race at 13:00 local time (GMT), with the MotoGP™ riders heading out before Moto2™ this weekend.
MotoGP Front Row:
1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1’38.725
2 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – +0.104
3 Joan Mir – Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki – +0.168Top Independent Team rider
4 Jorge Martin – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.191 -
Mathias Walkner fastest at Yas Marina SSS
Abu Dhabi (UAE), 6 Nov, 2021: Austria’s new FIM Cross-Country Rallies World champion Matthias Walkner was fastest on this afternoon’s Yas Island Super Special Stage, the first action in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
Competitor comments from Yas Marina Circuit after Press Conference
Autos
Yazeed Al Rajhi / Michael Orr (SAU / GBR)
“Everyone is here to win this race, and I am no different. I have a good feeling going into this one as it is such a pleasure going over the dunes. We need this good feeling and I think I have a nice taste going into this one, and that’s very important for an event like this.
“I hope all will go well for everyone and we can all come out of this safely after five days. Nasser is a worthy and tough competitor and we need to push maximum going against him. We will step forward with our best as we look ahead to getting prepared for Dakar.”
Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi / Wouter Rosegaar (ARE / NLD)
“I think as a family we are all really glad to be back after this pandemic. We’ve done well to contain this, and all credit for this goes to our leaders.
“I am happy to be in my home event. It’s been a while since I last drove, so you can imagine the feeling inside of me just heading out into the desert and taking in the beauty and being out there on the dunes. No doubt, it’s a different car this time, but we need to continue evolving and promoting this new car with the future in mind.”
Nasser Al Attiyah / Mathieu Baumel (QAT / AND)
“My heartfelt thanks to the organisers led by Mohammed Ben Sulayem for keeping this event alive and active for the past 30 years. Thanks also to the Abu Dhabi Government for putting all measures in place so that everyone can be safe and secure during this pandemic time.
“Personally, I love to come to one of the best races in the world as it also doubles up as an ideal preparation for Dakar.”
Yahya Al Helei / Khalid Al Kindi (ARE / ARE)
“I have been part of this rally for the past 30 years, and it is a matter of pride that I have been able to represent my country every time I have been out there in the desert. This in itself is a big challenge.
“At most times, I have been my sponsor, and when I look behind I think it is money well spent for a genuine cause.
“The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is one of the toughest rallies in the world, and I have known some of the top drivers waiting to follow me over the dunes due to my knowledge of this terrain.
“That said, I have been fortunate all my life. I raced first with a champion team, and over the years I have been blessed to mingle and meet some of the best drivers from across the world. I have learned a lot and this has been the biggest positive of my career.”
Jakub Przygonski / Timo Gottschalk (POL / DEU)
“I cannot explain to you the thrill I feel at being here again. It’s one of the nicest sand in the world, and at times I wish we could have this sort of sand back home in Poland.
“Secondly, it is the unique atmosphere and experience that keeps me going here. I started with the bikes, but now I am with the cars. This is a unique challenge for me, and I will try to be competitive here as the field gets bigger and bigger and nicer and nicer.”
Mansour Al Helei / Abdulla Dakhan (ARE / ARE)
“I am really happy to be back here as this event holds a special place for me as I made my debut here in 2010. I have talent, but I only need a bit of support from everyone so that I can achieve what I dream of.
“I am still in my 20s, and I want to improve and I want to leave a mark in my sport over the next few years. ADCB has been a huge support for me in this event and I am glad to be part of their vision.
“My dream in the future is to be one of the top drivers in the world. I give myself another ten years to achieve this goal.”
Motos
Mohammed Al Balooshi (UAE)
“I’m very excited to be part of the 30th edition. This rally is unique, it is abig challenge. You cannot find any of this terrain anywhere in the world.
“I’m very proud to be an Emirati participating in this rally and it is a boost for my Academy. I believe it falls on my shoulders and it’s my responsibility to passon my knowledge to the new generation. This is how I would like to beremembered, my legacy.
“Riding bikes is an experience that keeps you on the edge and this is what helps me feel most alive and drives my passion for the sport, Nothing can compare to this feeling, not fast cars or rally cars.”
Adrien Van Beveren (FRA)
“I’m really excited to be here. It’s my first time in Abu Dhabi but I know a little bit about the area, the dunes, because I have been training for a few weeks inDubai.
“Sand dunes are my favourite surface because I was born in the North of France where
we used to ride in beach races so it’s super cool for me to be racing here.
“I’ve had a good year of races. I was third in Kazakhstanand fifth in Morocco recently. I feel ready for this rally and of course the Dakar Rally next year.
“It’s been a long time without racing due to the pandemic, but now I feel likeengaging with my sport again. I’m currently in the third position and will try to do my best to end the year on a high note.”
Rafal Sonik (POL)
“The UAE desert has always been very, very challenging. My first rally here was in 2009 in March and it was the biggest challenge in the desert for me besides theDakar.
“I had to learn a lot and I’m still learning after 12 years. There is a balance of pleasure and challenge coming here year after year, I feel privileged that we can do it again. Because I’m probably one of the oldest participants (55) this unique privilege has grown and grown.
“Quad is my focus in off-road because I think that the bike is like a camel or a horse. I know some motorbikers don’t like my theory but the Quad is the mostevolutionary vehicle. It requires a lot of care and respect. It has the smallest wheels and smallest shock so you have to be gentle be careful.
Leading times (provisional):
1. Matthias Walkner (AUT) / KTM 450 Rally Factory Replica / 1 5:10.4
2. Daniel Sanders (AUS) / GASGAS 450 Rally Factory Replica / 1 5:12.0
3. Ross Branch (BWA) / Yamaha WR450 F01 Rally / 1 5:12.4
4. Franco Caimi (ARG) / Hero 450 Rally / 1 5:18.0
5. Andrew Short (USA) / Yamaha WR450 F01 Rally / 1 5:18.4
6. Sebastian Buhler (DEU) / Hero 450 Rally / 1 5:22.0
7. Joaquim Rodrigues (PRT) / Hero 450 Rally / 1 5:25.2
8. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA) / Yamaha WR450 F01 Rally / 1 5:34.0
9. Aaron Mare (ZAF) / KTM 450 Rally / 1 5:38.8
10. Konrad Dabrowski (POL) / KTM 450 Rally Replica / 1 5:38.8
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Home hero Sergio Perez fastest in FP2
Mexico City, 6 Nov 2021: Home hero Sergio Pérez set the fastest lap of final practice for the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship Mexico City Grand, beating Red Bull Racing team-mate Max Verstappen by two tenths of a second as Mercedes Lewis Hamilton finished third, six tenths of a second off the Mexican driver.
The session got underway with the field biding their time in the pit lane. AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda broke the silence after five minutes and the Japanese driver soon posted the opening time of the day at 1:20.922 on soft tyres. Over the next nine laps he worked his way down to 1:19.744 before being pushed out of P1 by Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Räikkönen who in turn was edged out McLaren’s Lando Norris who established new benchmark of 1:19.244 as the session passed the 20-minute mark.
It was then that Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton made his entrance and the Mercedes driver swiftly rose to the top of the order with a lap of 1:18.770. His stay was brief. However, as team-mate Valtteri Bottas soon crossed the line in 1:18.661 to take P1.
Just before the half hour mark, Sergio Pérez emerged to a huge roar from his home fans and the Red Bull driver rewarded them with the fastest time of the session, a 1:18.625 set on soft tyres.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc jumped to P1 with a lap of 1:18.213 but Pérez restored Red Bull pre-eminence as he improved to 1:17934.
Verstappen then made his late entrance and the championship leader powered past his team-mate’s best effort, knocking almost four tenths of a second off Pérez’s time to take top spot with a lap of 1:17.537. He then went for another flying lap and lowered the marker to 1:17.217 as the field retired to the pit lane to prepare for their qualifying simulations.
Hamilton and Bottas were among the first back on track and though Bottas failed to improve on his first run, Hamilton jumped to third place with a lap of 1:17.903.
Pérez then returned to the fray and though the Mexican logged personal best times in all three sector he couldn’t eclipse his team-mate’s earlier time and settled into P2 with a lap of 1:17.272, just 0.055s off Verstappen.
The Mexican wasn’t done, however, and after returning to the pit lane he went for a second run. And after setting purple times in the final two sectors he took top spot with a lap of 1:17.024.
Verstappen emerged for his qualifying sim but the Dutch driver couldn’t find an improvement and complained to his pit wall that his lap was “weird, no grip at all”.
It left Pérez top, almost two tenths ahead of his team-mate.
Hamilton improved to 1:17.675 to leapfrog Bottas and take P3 but the Briton was still over six tenths of a second off the pace of Pérez.
With Bottas fourth, fifth place in the session went to Sainz, with Tsunoda sixth ahead of McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly. Ninth place went to Leclerc and Norris ended the session in tenth place.
Elsewhere there was bad news for Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, with his team confirming that the Frenchman would be taking a new power unit and he will thus drop to the back of the grid for tomorrow’s race.
2021 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix – Free Practice 3
1 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda 1:17.024 15 201.163
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 1:17.217 0.193 12 200.660
3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:17.675 0.651 14 199.477
4 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:17.708 0.684 17 199.392
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:18.029 1.005 20 198.572
6 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda 1:18.037 1.013 25 198.551
7 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 1:18.121 1.097 15 198.338
8 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 1:18.202 1.178 18 198.133
9 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:18.213 1.189 20 198.105
10 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:18.312 1.288 16 197.854
11 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:18.352 1.328 20 197.753
12 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:18.531 1.507 22 197.302
13 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:18.556 1.532 19 197.240
14 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:18.614 1.590 17 197.094
15 Fernando Alonso Alpine/Renault 1:18.847 1.823 15 196.512
16 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:18.999 1.975 17 196.134
17 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 1:19.211 2.187 19 195.609
18 Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 1:19.238 2.214 14 195.542
19 Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 1:19.313 2.289 12 195.357
20 Nikita Mazepin Haas/Ferrari 1:20.479 3.455 15 192.527
