Verstappen confident: 'There is no doubt'

Max Verstappen was the big winner of the Mexican Grand Prix. The Dutch driver managed to overtake both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas at the first corner, after which he drove gloriously to the finish line. Mika Häkkinen warns against underestimating the importance of the race though.

It was no surprise to the former Formula 1 driver that Verstappen took victory in Mexico. The Red Bull driver was the favourite to take home at least 25 points from the first free practice, and Verstappen more than lived up to that.

"This high-altitude circuit suits cars with high levels of aerodynamic downforce," Häkkinen states in his column on Unibet.com. "Since the thin air affects their performance much less than their rivals and it also helps them to make better use of their tyres. Max won in Mexico in 2017 and 2018, and started on pole position in 2019. He clearly enjoys the circuit."

Championship battle between Verstappen and Hamilton

Despite holding a 12-point lead in the world championship, Häkkinen thinks Verstappen should watch out. "There is no doubt that Max’s victory has given him a strong lead in the World Championship with only four races remaining. But in my opinion a lot can still happen in this battle between Red Bull and Mercedes. While the next Grand Prix in Brazil should again suit Max’s car, Lewis Hamilton won at Interlagos in 2016 and 2018."