Christopher Bell delivered a strong performance in Sunday’s race at Mexico City, finishing second behind Shane van Gisbergen. Despite the impressive result, Bell expressed frustration that he was unable to secure his fourth win of the season, attributing the performance gap to his own efforts rather than the Joe Gibbs Racing car he drove.
The race showcased Bell’s competitiveness as he battled through tough conditions, but ultimately he settled for his third runner-up finish of the year. Bell acknowledged van Gisbergen’s skill, calling him “really good,” and recognized the challenges posed by late-race strategies and caution flags. Even with teammate Ty Gibbs fading to 11th after a late yellow flag, Bell managed to come away second.
So, both days, in the Xfinity car (in Saturday’s race) I was a third place car. Today, I felt like I was a third place car. I think more than anything it was just me, I need to do a little bit more homework and figure out where I can be better to keep up with these guys.
Having recorded three wins, three second-place finishes, and one third over the season’s first 16 races, Bell’s record is strong, placing him third in the overall Cup standings. Still, he feels there is room to improve to challenge the leaders consistently.
The Joe Gibbs Racing group brought an amazing Mobil 1 Camry and I can’t really say that it was my car that was lacking, I think it was on me this weekend,
Bell said, reflecting on his performance.
Bell Acknowledges Shane van Gisbergen’s Exceptional Drive
Despite his own disappointment, Bell praised van Gisbergen for his victory. Van Gisbergen entered the weekend struggling in the standings, positioned 33rd in the Cup rankings. His win secured him a place in the upcoming 10-race Cup playoffs, demonstrating a remarkable turnaround.
Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure on him to come out here and perform well in these road course races and he sets the bar for us.
—Christopher Bell
Looking ahead, Bell and his team will return to the United States to prepare for the next race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, eager to build on their solid season while addressing the areas where Bell feels he can improve.
