StaffMercedes lockout front row over favorites Red Bull.
Valtteri Bottas blew favorites Red Bull away to take a sensational pole position to give Mercedes the advantage on a track they should have been on the back foot. Along with Bottas, his teammate Lewis Hamilton starts ahead of his championship rival Max Verstappen who could only manage P3. Home hero Sergio Pérez had a late lock upon his final flying lap, seeing him start fourth ahead of the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly and the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz. McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo starts seventh ahead of the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen rounding up the top ten. Lando Norris, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, and Yuki Tsunoda will be starting from the back of the grid after taking new power unit elements. The Williams of George Russell will also join them at the back of the grid after changing gearboxes.
A circuit that was sure to suit Red Bull has seen the constructor championship leaders, Mercedes, take the upper hand out of nowhere, but Red Bull will take hope from that none of the last three Mexican Grand Prixs have been won from pole. That being said, Bottas has Hamilton with him on the front row, and heading into race day, it will need a herculean effort from Verstappen to fight off two Mercedes to take the win. It’s all to play for as we head into race day!
Qualifying Session 1 – (Eliminated- Fernando Alonso, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher, Nikita Mazepin, and Lance Stroll)
The Haas duo of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin got the first session underway with the Alfa Romeo of Kimi Räikkönen behind them. Räikkönen set the benchmark with a 1:19.108s but was comfortably displaced once Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc put in his timing of 1:17.991s.
The session saw an early red flag when the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll went into the barriers on the start straight. Stroll, fortunately, walked away without any serious injury. Qualifying resumed after a 25 minute stoppage with the two AlphaTauris leading the pack, headed by Yuki Tsunoda. Hamilton and Bottas were the first of the front runners to put in a time, and the Finn went P1 with a 1:17.516s but was dislodged when Verstappen put in his time of a 1:16.788s, an excellent sixth tenth quicker than his teammate in second place.
As the final laps came through, Fernando Alonso, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher, Nikita Mazepin, and Lance Stroll failed to make it to the second qualifying session, with Bottas going fastest overall at the other end of the grid.
Qualifying Session 2 – (Eliminated – Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Räikkönen, George Russell, Antonio Giovinazzi and Esteban Ocon)
Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez got the first timing of the session with a 1:17.055s but was displaced by his teammate who went fastest with a 1:16.483s. This time, the Mercedes was closer to Red Bull with Hamilton slotting in P2, a thousandth behind Verstappen.
At the drop of the chequered flag, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Räikkönen, George Russell, Antonio Giovinazzi, and Esteban Ocon failed to make it to the top 10 shootouts.
Qualifying 3 – Bottas powers to pole
Sergio Pérez sent Mexico City crowd into a frenzy after going fastest but was quickly dislodged by his teammate. Although Valtteri Bottas had none of the home support for Red Bull and took provisional pole with a stunning 1:15.875s. His teammate was one hundredths behind, while Verstappen’s first timing in the final session could only see him manage P3.
Bottas held on to the pole with his teammate starting on the front row with him ahead of the two Red Bulls, who were quite disappointed with their final starting positions, given that both expected to start on the front row at a circuit built to suit them.
Final Starting Grid
Valtteri Bottas
Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen
Sergio Pérez
Pierre Gasly
Carlos Sainz
Daniel Ricciardo
Charles Leclerc
Sebastian Vettel
Kimi Räikkönen
Antonio Giovinazzi
Fernando Alonso
Nicholas Latifi
Mick Schumacher
Nikita Mazepin
George Russell*
Esteban Ocon*
Yuki Tsunoda*
Lando Norris*
Lance Stroll*
*Penalties
