Max Verstappen hoping Mexico's high altitude will boost his F1 title chase

MEXICO CITY (AP) — To stay in the hunt for a fifth F1 title in a row, Max Verstappen needs to keep closing the gap to McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Racing in Mexico City might help him to do just that. Verstappen has won five races in Mexico, including three of the last four. And he is coming off a win in the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, last weekend as part of a recent surge that has seen him trim the gap to leader Piastri from 104 points to 40 in the last four races. He is 26 points behind Norris. It wasn't long ago that Verstappen's chances of defending his title had been all but written off. Now another win could put him right back in contention. "To be honest with you, to still be in this fight is very surprising," Verstappen said. "Like I said before, we need to be perfect. But for me, it's just positive pressure." Verstappen was one several top drivers to sit out Friday's first practice session, with British teenager Arvid Lindblad in the car instead. But he already knows the track well — aside from the Red Bull Ring in Austria, it's the only circuit where he has won five races. The Mexican GP is raced over 71 laps on the 4.304-kilometer (2.67-mile) track of Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, which boasts 17 corners and sits at an altitude of 7,350 feet over sea level. The thin air generates less downforce, making the car setup more demanding for the teams. "The circuit tends to suit our car, the high altitude always brings unique challenges," Verstappen said. "Mexico is always a fun party atmosphere so it will be exciting to round up the double header there." Piastri, who crashed in the sprint race and finished in fifth place at Austin, is winless in four races and has not reached the podium since Monza in Italy, when he finished third. "I think (Verstappen) has been very consistent in the last few weekends," Piastri said on Thursday. "But there's no benefit worrying about that, the thing that's going to help me win this championship is trying to get the most out of myself." McLaren has already secured the constructors' championship and some other drivers still view Piastri and Norris as the two big favorites for the title. "Max is always on top of things and always performing extremely well, but he's still 40 points behind and 40 points is significant. So, if I have to bet one dollar, I probably would on the McLaren drivers," said Ferrari's Charles LeClerc, who is fifth in the standings. "But yeah, you can never rule out Max." Full house despite Sergio Perez's absence The Mexican Grand Prix is celebrating its 10-year anniversary since the circuit returned to the F1 calendar after a 23-year hiatus and it will be the first weekend of racing there without local driver Sergio Perez. Red Bull cut ties with Perez — also known as "Checo" in Mexico — last December over poor performances and some wondered if fans would attend this year's Grand Prix despite his absence. "We have a full house, Mexican fans love 'Checo,' no one would argue that, but they also love racing, and we are having a great season so far and the stands will be crowded," race director Federico Gonzalez Compean said. Perez's six career wins are the most in F1 for a Mexican driver, and he was instrumental in securing the sport's return to Mexico City in 2015. The popular driver will get a chance to race again in his home country next year after signing a contract with Cadillac.