Mexican F1 Grand Prix 2018: Start Time, Drivers, TV Schedule and More
October 27, 2018
Lewis Hamilton is on course to win his fifth Formula One world championship on Sunday at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Hamilton came close to clinching the prize in the United States last time out but was unable to get past Max Verstappen late on. Doing so would have put him mathematically clear of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.
On Sunday, the Mercedes driver only needs to finish in the top seven to win the driver's title and join Juan Manuel Fangio with a quintet of championships. Only Michael Schumacher, who won seven during his illustrious career, would have more than Hamilton should he succeed at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.
Date: Sunday, October 28
Time: 7:10 p.m. (GMT), 3:10 p.m. (ET)
TV Info: Sky Sports F1 (UK), ESPN2 (U.S.)
Hamilton on Course for 5th Title
The Ferrari Twitter account broke down what to expect from this track:
History beckons for Hamilton in Mexico on Sunday, as barring a mechanical failure or a crash, he will take his place alongside Fangio as the second-most successful driver in the history of F1.
Per 888Sport, Hamilton would move ahead of some illustrious names if he gets the job done:
While there has been a sense of rivalry between himself and Vettel over the past couple of years, in the main, Hamilton has come out on top in the clutch moments. This season, individual and strategic errors at important points have cost the Ferrari man dear.
Ahead of the race weekend, Hamilton said that this seemingly impending world championship win would be his best to date, per James Galloway of Sky Sports.
"Even though you're improving, the competition improves, different circumstances arise, but this year particularly has been one of the most enjoyable years with the things that I have been faced with," he said. "So if I were to win the title, I think it would definitely be one that I would be probably most proud of and be able to appreciate most."
Here's what needs to happen for Hamilton to get the job done:
Vettel will be aware he can do almost nothing to put himself back in title contention, although he will want to finish the season strongly with next term in mind.
In recent weeks, things haven't been going especially well for the German. In the United States, he was left facing the wrong way after contact on the first lap:
The winner in the previous race was Vettel's team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen. Having gone five years without victory, it was one for the veteran Finn to savour. You sense he will look to soak up every moment of driving for Ferrari in the final three races, as he is set to move to Sauber in 2018.
A year ago, it was Red Bull's Max Verstappen who triumphed at this circuit. And after his second-placed finish in 2018, he's clearly still in a fighting spirit:
Red Bull looked strong in practice on Friday, with Verstappen top and Daniel Ricciardo in second in both sessions.
Throughout the season, the Mercedes, Ferraris and Red Bulls have been a cut above the rest of the field, meaning even if Hamilton were to make an error on Sunday, he would most likely recover seventh spot, time permitting.
With that in mind, it would be a huge surprise if Hamilton weren't the toast of the sport come the end of Sunday's race. However, the form of the Red Bull drivers means he may have to settle for a spot on podium.
Prediction: 1. Verstappen, 2. Ricciardo, 3. Hamilton