Here's the thing: racing can turn on a single piece of metal in a fraction of a second. Valtteri Bottas has been taken for precautionary medical checks following a heavy crash that brought out a red flag during the Mexican Grand Prix, as The Race reports. Approaching Turn 1 on lap 45 of the 71-lap race, the left front suspension on the Cadillac dramatically failed. The machine was sent spinning backwards straight into the barriers.
That kind of impact stops your heart for a beat. The medical team spent a long time talking to Bottas in the cockpit before he finally climbed out and walked away unaided. Asked directly on team radio if he was OK as the incident unfolded, Bottas gave a blunt reply: "no. F**k!". A Cadillac statement later confirmed that he was "responsive" on team radio and heading to the medical centre for "further medical assessments as a precaution".
Once the barrier repairs are finished, the race will resume with Max Verstappen leading the field. Verstappen managed to take advantage of a messy first-lap situation between Charles Leclerc and polesitting Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton, which ultimately resulted in a penalty for Leclerc that cost him the early lead.
Meanwhile, the restart order brings its own drama regarding the podium positions. Hamilton had initially dropped to fourth behind Kimi Antonelli—who stands as the likely world champion—after pitting when the safety car was initially deployed for the crash before the red flag dropped. Thankfully, the restart order is being counted from the lap before the stoppage, meaning Hamilton keeps his hold on third place.
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