Lando Norris gave himself a much-needed boost in his championship aspirations as he closed the gap to Max Verstappen to 47 points at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The McLaren driver came home to finish second as Carlos Sainz secured his second win of the season and Ferrari’s second win in a row. The attention heading into the Mexico City Grand Prix was still on the controversial events in Austin where Norris was penalised for passing Verstappen off the track.

Seven days after this issue, the duo would be involved in another spat with each other and the stewards. Verstappen forced Norris wide at turn four and turn 10 on Lap 10, subsequently handing second place to Charles Leclerc. The Dutchman was given a 20-second time penalty for his actions, with Marc Priestley being left unhappy with Verstappen for causing a ‘major safety concern’.

Even Red Bull knew that a punishment was warranted, as Christian Horner stated that they would not appeal the decision even though he questioned the stewards publicly after the race. Helmut Marko admitted Verstappen deserved a harsh penalty, but also called out the stewards as he believed they were trying to set an example with the 20-second penalty. James Hinchcliffe lauds over Lando Norris’ battle with Charles Leclerc that was ‘so impressive’Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesAfter Verstappen served his penalty, Norris was free to try and attack the Ferraris after the pit stops.

Towards the closing stages of the race, the McLaren clearly had the performance to catch up with Leclerc in second. Eventually, the pressure seemed to be too much for the Monegasque driver as he ran wide at the final corner and almost put his SF-24 into the barriers. Norris seized the opportunity and went on through to take second from the Ferrari.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebrationWriting in his column on the F1 website, James Hinchcliffe believes this battle cemented his opinion that Norris drove like a ‘champion’ in Mexico City to close the gap in the battle for the title. He wrote: “Norris had one goal going into the weekend: beat Max Verstappen. The controversial finish to their battle in Austin still top of his mind, Norris knew he had a great opportunity into the first turn to make a move and demote the Red Bull driver down a spot.

“It didn’t happen at the start, but once Sainz cleared Verstappen it was Norris’s chance to make a move. What happened next was Verstappen throwing caution (and the rule book) to the wind, launching it long twice in a lap, sending Norris off track in both cases. “Double penalties followed for Verstappen, but it was Norris’s effort to claw back the massive gap to the leading Ferraris, eventually forcing Charles Leclerc into a mistake and giving up P2, that made the drive so impressive.

“On a day that was make or break for his drivers’ title chances, and a damage limitation day for McLaren’s constructors’ battle, Norris performed as a consummate team leader with a champion-like drive. ”Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty ImagesIs there enough time for Lando Norris to beat Max Verstappen to the title?

With Verstappen coming back to finish sixth after being put right at the back of the field after his penalty, the result in Mexico City is exactly what Norris needed to keep his title hopes alive. With four Grand Prix and two Sprint races to go, there are still several points on offer for the Brit to get close enough to challenge Verstappen for the championship. However, the Dutchman does not seem to show any signs of wanting to change his driving approach, as Verstappen joked that he would need a drink in the pits when he comes in to serve another penalty.

Jos Verstappen says Max Verstappen must drive aggressively because the Red Bull is not good enough, which have been evident against the McLaren and the Ferrari in recent races. The Maranello squad have now overtaken the defending champions for second in the Constructors’ Championship. If the McLarens and Ferraris can stay ahead of Verstappen, it will put Norris in a good position to rack up more points against the Dutchman in his quest to win his maiden title.

But with the Red Bull driver’s aggressive defence, the next four races are shaping up to be tense affairs at the front.