Having taken the race win in Mexico City after starting from P5, Max Verstappen has joked that it is about time that the Mexican Grand Prix changed its name. The Dutch driver went on to win his sixth GP at the circuit, making Mexico City his most successful racing venue in F1. Owing to the same, Verstappen feels that the race should now be called “Maxico”.
“They should actually call it the Maxico Grand Prix. That would be great. I honestly love being here. I love the city, I love the environment, I love the fans.”
With a flying start off the line, the Dutch driver was in contention for the race lead early on, particularly given that the Ferrari drivers were busy locking horns with each other. He ultimately took the race lead after Charles Leclerc served his five-second penalty during the pit stop.
But even if that hadn’t happened, Verstappen feels that things always have a way of working out whenever he’s in Mexico City. “I have no idea why. Sometimes your car just comes alive, and you’ve had good races and not a lot of bad luck sometimes as well. It’s just always come together for me here, and, of course, I happily take that.”
As Verstappen spoke further, it became more evident that things really do have a way of working themselves out when the Dutchman is in Mexico.
Max Verstappen Had Major Car Issues in Mexico
While Verstappen was able to secure a race win, it was far from an ideal run for the 29-year-old. Despite clean air in front of him for most of the race, the Dutch driver had to deal with a massive problem behind the wheel, given that he was facing persistent engine braking issues.
The No. 3 driver even took to his team radio to complain about the issue at hand, but the problem was as complex as it could get. Not only were the engine braking issues haunting Verstappen during the race, but the issues were popping up randomly, leaving Verstappen guessing what would happen next.
Speaking about the same during his post-race media briefing, Verstappen joked that the engine decides when to start acting up on its own, so he might need to have a conversation with it. Perhaps the next time he goes out to race, Verstappen will need to have a word with his engine and ask it to “behave better.”
But on a more serious note, the four-time world champion detailed that the issue isn’t very consistent and there’s no telling when things might start acting up. With everything “running so hot” in the car, it is tough for the team to make everything spot on.
Verstappen Looks Back at the Moment That Decided His Victory
Verstappen believes that Ferrari made it a little bit difficult for themselves to win the race in Mexico City, despite being the front runners to take the victory. An intra-team battle on the opening lap provided the Dutchman with the perfect opportunity to capitalize and drive away to his third win of 2026.
Having pipped Lewis Hamilton by just 0.799 seconds for the race win, Verstappen claimed his team “gave it everything.” The first start was what made his race strong, and from there on, it was all about an aggressive defense on the corners for the No. 3 driver, with the Ferrari not having enough power to overtake Red Bull on the straights.
With Leclerc running a five-second penalty, Verstappen felt that his team put him in prime position for the win. Red Bull matched Ferrari’s strategy and brought Verstappen in for his stop at the same time as Leclerc. The Dutchman took over the lead in the pit lane.
In the end, though, Verstappen felt that it was a “cool fight” to the finish line. With Hamilton right behind him after a late race safety car, the No. 3 driver couldn’t afford to make any mistakes and put together a near-perfect run to the chequered flag.
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