Max flexes his muscles

After scrapping to a hard-fought podium ahead of title rival Lando Norris last Sunday, Max Verstappen will seek to end a nine-race winless run on a favourite circuit at this weekend's Mexico Grand Prix.

Red Bull's series leader beat McLaren's Norris into third for the first time in five outings, albeit with the aid of some controversial stewards' decisions in Texas, to enlarge his lead to 57 points with five rounds of the 24-race Formula One championship remaining.

If that was not sufficient encouragement for him and Red Bull, who enjoyed an upswing in form as Ferrari dominated with a commanding one-two at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Verstappen's impressive and breathless Mexican record should be.

The Dutchman has reeled off five wins from his last six visits to the high-altitude (2250-metres above sea level) Autodromo Hermano Rodriguez and is the only current driver, apart from seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, twice, to have won in the capital city.