Lewis Hamilton returns to Mexico GP, revisiting historic moments against Ferrari and Vettel
This weekend, Lewis Hamilton will compete at the Mexico City Grand Prix wearing Ferrari colors for the first time in his illustrious Formula 1 career. Yet for many fans and insiders, this circuit evokes memories from eight years ago, when Lewis Hamilton’s dominance left the Ferrari team in tears.
Lewis Hamilton’s record at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is remarkable. He has secured as many wins at this track as world championships in his career – two victories that coincided with his title-winning campaigns in 2017 and 2018. On both occasions, he faced off against Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who initially posed a genuine challenge to Mercedes’ supremacy but ultimately fell behind after the mid-season break.
2017 collision and the start of Ferrari’s heartbreak
The 2017 Mexican Grand Prix is particularly infamous. On the opening lap, the Briton collided with Sebastian Vettel, puncturing a tyre on his Mercedes and causing significant damage to the front wing on the German’s Ferrari. While Sebastian Vettel recovered to finish fourth, he needed a top-two finish to remain in contention for the championship. Lewis Hamilton’s ninth place was enough to secure the milestone, triggering celebrations and marking the end of Ferrari’s hopes that year.
Ferrari staff left in tears as defeat became inevitable
In his book F1 Insider: Notes from the Pit Lane, Ted Kravitz described the emotional aftermath for Ferrari in 2017. After a string of misfortunes, including Vettel’s incidents in Singapore with teammate Kimi Räikkönen and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, as well as a retirement at Suzuka due to power issues, Ferrari staff knew defeat was unavoidable. Despite this, the moment Lewis Hamilton officially clinched the title in Mexico brought many team members to tears.
Ted Kravitz noted that although the points deficit made Vettel’s loss mathematically certain, the emotional impact on the Scuderia was profound, reflecting just how much was at stake in their battle against Hamilton and Mercedes.
2018: Vettel distraught as Hamilton seals another title
The following year, Lewis Hamilton arrived in Mexico with a 70-point lead over Sebastian Vettel, needing only a top-seven finish to claim his fifth world championship. Finishing fourth in the race was sufficient, while Vettel’s second place could not alter the outcome. Ferrari strategist Ruth Buscombe revealed that Sebastian Vettel remained hopeful of a comeback right until the race, making his reaction after the Mexican Grand Prix one of visible disappointment.
Even after the result was confirmed, Vettel demonstrated sportsmanship by personally shaking the hands of the Mercedes crew, acknowledging Hamilton’s dominance and accepting the championship outcome gracefully. Buscombe explained that Ferrari’s internal philosophy was to never count a competitor out until they were mathematically eliminated, which made Vettel’s belief in a last-minute turnaround understandable.
The Mexico GP: a historic track for Hamilton and Ferrari rivalry
The Mexican Grand Prix has become synonymous with Lewis Hamilton’s career-defining moments, highlighting his consistency and competitive edge at high-altitude circuits. These races not only reinforced Lewis Hamilton’s legacy at Mercedes but also underscored the psychological pressures on Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel when the championship was slipping away.
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