Don't you have a feeling of «déjà vu» this weekend? Last year in Mexico Lewis Hamilton won his fourth championship title. And now, as we can see, everything is going to ensure that the British will once again become the champion in this hot country of sombrero and tacos.

Moreover, after Friday practices and Saturday qualification there is a feeling that the weekend for Mercedes and specifically for Lewis is very similar to the Mexican weekend in 2017. So, first, let's remember the last year's Grand Prix.

Mexico 2017

Over the past year, Lewis Hamilton didn’t retire in any races and never finished outside of the top ten. That is why in this point the Mexico GP 2017 was the unluckiest stage for him. Although here Lewis guaranteed himself the champion title. Last year Lewis Hamilton came to Mexico as a leader of the championship. It was enough for him to finish fifth to become a four-time world champion, even if Vettel wins.

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is one of the few tracks that don't fit to «Silver arrows». Since the very beginning the weekend in Mexico was very strange and atypical for Hamilton. In the first practice session Bottas showed the best time, in the second – Riccardo, the third – Verstappen. Pole position on Saturday went to Sebastian Vettel, which gave a little hope for an interesting race and a possible extension of the intrigue in the championship.

But on Sunday, Sebastian by himself complicated his own race, although a lot of people had no doubt the German will easily win the race from the pole. However, Vettel's start wasn’t good enough, and Max Verstappen, who started from the second position, sharply began to attack Seb. Next Hamilton also began to attack Vettel, and already overtook him, Lewis was hit by the German. Both drivers went to the boxes. After the pit stops, both rolled back to the end of the peloton. The race for Sebastian and Lewis developed in different ways: Sebastian quickly broke through the peloton, and Lewis stuck behind Carlos Sainz for a long time. At the finish Vettel was on P4 and Hamilton was on P9. This was enough for the Lewis’s fifth title, but the race for the British literally wasn’t in champion’s style.

Current situation

Mexican weekend this season is very similar to last year’s. Mercedes and Hamilton again lose to the rivals, and we can say, even more than in 2017. Moreover, in the third practice, Valtteri Bottas had a breakdown with the hydraulic system, what didn’t happen with Mercedes cars for a long time. The team replaced the power unit on Valtteri’s car to the one that Finn used in Austin. We don't know if Lewis has the same risk, although according to Mercedes principal Toto Wolff, such a problem doesn’t threaten his car.

As yesterday's qualifying showed, Red Bull drivers are the main favorites of today's race. Although, it isn’t necessary to forget, how the proximity of the Dan’s and Max’s cars usually ends. On the second row of the starting grid – right behind the Red Bull «bomb» – Hamilton and Vettel located, which even is more interesting. Everything can happen in this company. Maybe, Vettel again will hit Hamilton's car, or, maybe, Lewis himself will make a mistake and crashing into Max? Who knows, but the start of the Mexican Grand Prix promises to be very spectacular, as the race itself. And, of course, many fans are waiting for the coronation of Hamilton as a five-time world champion after the race. 99% for it, but let’s leave 1% for an unpredictable outcome.